


Painted Wings, Silver Snow

by battle_goats



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Inspired by Anastasia (1997 & Broadway), Multi, The musical featured a fucking love triangle and I'm here to fix that, They also got rid of Rasputin so I'm fixing that too and it's Ardyn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27543235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battle_goats/pseuds/battle_goats
Summary: The siege on Tenebrae ripped apart House Fleuret. Queen Sylva was dead, Prince Ravus found refuge with House Caelum of Lucis. But in the chaos, Princess Lunafreya was separated from her protectors and lost. Twelve years later, Prince Ravus is prepared to give up on the chance of finding his sister. Every Lucian agent dispatched to find her had come back either empty-handed, or with an imposter.Lou is an orphan of the Empire. Just another face in the crowd. She can't shake the feeling she's lost and can only be found in Insomnia. But getting out of the Empire to get to Lucis is an impossible task for a young woman who had nothing.Written for the FFXV Rarepair Big Bang
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Nyx Ulric
Comments: 12
Kudos: 9
Collections: FFXV Rarepair Big Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank the mods of the FFXV Rarepair Big Bang for being so patient and supportive when it came to getting this done. Without that, I might not have finished in time.
> 
> And I am immensely grateful to @deannaistyping for being the most thorough and helpful beta reader ever. Seriously, without you, this whole thing would have been a hot mess.
> 
> Thank you everyone for sticking with me through the last 9 months, this truly was a labor of love.

_ The smell of burning flesh choked her. There was so much fire. A little dark-haired boy with bright blue eyes reached out to her from over a man's shoulder. _

_ "Lou-!" he screamed. _

_ They disappeared within the black smoke. Another boy, older with long fair hair, stood in the flames, his back to her. She opened her mouth to yell for him, but no sound came out. _

_ A red haired man with glowing golden eyes stood over her, a dagger in his hand. _

Lou woke with a shuddering gasp. She stuffed her thin blanket into her mouth. There was no need to disturb her neighbors with her nightmares. She pushed her damp sweaty hair from her face.

She reached for her watch to check the time. Lou blinked at the face, trying to read the face while only partly awake

“Shit!” She scrambled out of bed hurriedly dressing before she was well and truly late for work. Lou’s pajama pants were caught around an ankle when Pryna, her dog, nosed at her knees for breakfast.

"Not now, I'll feed you when I come back," she said. Pryna whined but let her be and finish getting dressed.

Lou dragged on her least stained work shirt and black jeans before quickly pulling her hair up into a ponytail. Good enough. 

She closed the door, locking it behind her and turned - nearly smacking into her landlady Gentiana.

"Oh, sorry," Lou said, reaching out to steady the woman. Gentiana owned the apartment building, a surprisingly fair landlady for the times, who did her best to watch out for the other women who lived under her roof. Gralea was not a kind place to anyone, and as Gentiana put it: there was no need to make it harder, especially when you had essentially nothing. 

Gentiana smiled serenely and stepped out of Lou's way. "Hurry," she whispered.

"Right! And good morning!"

Lou shot away, heading for the stairs, ignoring the elevator doors -- it was way too slow when she was in such a rush, anyway. She thumped down the stairs and stumbled on the bottom landing. She shoved the door open and waded her way through the crowd of women coming in from their graveyard shifts.

"Morning, Lou."

"Morning!"

Weak midwinter light greeted her eyes. Lou stepped through slushy snow to make it to the subway station in time. The cold air nipped at her fingers. Her only respite was knowing that at least she would be too busy at work to truly feel Gralea’s chill.

* * *

The breakfast rush had left Lou too busy to speak to her more interesting regulars. Prom, as he had introduced himself, was a young man who "did a little bit of this or that" for work. Lou wasn't sure if he was employed by a mob family, or by the government. It wouldn’t be unusual, everyone in Gralea knew that everything and everyone had ears. He had eaten his usual -- two eggs, toast and bacon -- and drank three cups of their crap coffee before leaving his payment under his plate.

Lou handed an old man his bowl of porridge and moved to clear Prom's vacated spot. She lifted the plate and picked up the cash. As she popped the register open to place the cash inside, she noticed something odd; Prom had left forty gil too much, along with a small note folded within the gil. She checked no one was paying attention and pocketed the extra gil and note, before getting back to work.

"Hey Lou, boss wants you waiting tables until your break," her coworker said.

"Sure thing," Lou said. She rattled off anything that her coworker needed to know and stepped out from behind the counter.

"And I just sat tall, dark and handsome at the back table. He hasn't been served yet."

"Got it."

Lou reached into her apron for her writing pad and a pen as she approached the table. The man was indeed tall, dark and handsome. There was something distinctly foreign about him. His hair was shaved down the sides, but with longer locks that looked like they’d been removed from their usual style. He didn't look like anyone from Niflheim -- not that it was any of her business. Questions about one’s business weren't asked in Gralea. The less one knew, the safer they were.

"Morning, what can I get you?" she beamed. The man looked up at her, and she immediately noticed how tired he looked. His face was pale, and a little thin. There were dark circles under his eyes that spoke of not enough sleep, and the sag of his shoulders only helped paint the picture of an exhausted man. He stared at her for a long moment. Long enough for Lou's smile to feel awkwardly forced. 

"Sir?"

"Coffee, please."

"Anything else?"

"Toast and eggs. Scrambled."

"Okay, coming right up. I'll be back with your coffee," she said. He nodded. 

Lou returned with his coffee to see him playing with a cell phone. The screen was so cracked it seemed almost unusable. Like him, it didn't look like a model available in Niflheim. He hastily hid it away in an inner pocket in his heavy coat when she got closer. 

"Thank you," he said as she placed the mug down. She gave him another smile.

"Of course. Your food will be out shortly. If you need anything, my name is Lou."

"Right."

Lou retreated back to the employee area. Lou turned in place, wanting to pace, but knew it would look odd to anyone who noticed. There was something about that man. He made the hair on her arms stand on end. He was setting off her senses in a way she hadn't encountered before. He didn’t seem like a threat, but it was definitely different. He felt dangerous, but was no danger to her.

"Hey, Lou!"

She jumped when the cook addressed her from the window.

"Eggs and toast up," he said with a frown. Lou picked up the plates and took a deep breath. She wanted to find out just what it was about this customer that was making a distant memory ping. Something she had discovered during her time in the orphanage. She could look at a person and see their aura, the way light bent and refracted around the space they occupied in the universe. It reflected their mood, the shift in their emotional state, and most useful of all, she could see lies and ulterior motives through it. It wasn’t like looking at a mood ring and knowing each color had a different meaning. It was nothing so precise, and had taken a lot of trial and error to figure out how calm waves could turn to lashing spikes in a moment of anger. How sadness or depression made the aura look like a solid mass shielding a person from the outside world. And the ways those movements and shapes could mix and mingle for each person.

Lou looked up as she approached and nearly dropped the plate. This was new. She had never seen someone radiate power before. It was like he was the inside of a plasma ball toy, giving off energy and bright blue electrical sparks. But it wasn't his. No, he was borrowing it from a source she couldn't see. 

Who was this man, and why did that power feel distantly familiar.

* * *

Lou survived her shift. Luckily the strange man didn’t linger once he’d eaten. He finished his coffee, left behind some gil and walked out without another glance or word to anyone.

She huddled into her coat at the subway platform and carefully unfolded the little note and generous tip Prom had left her.

_ Do you want to escape? Furthest benches near the fishing ponds in Aldercapt Park - 6:30. Pack lightly _ .

Lou shoved the note down her bra. Now the big tip made more sense. It wasn't a tip. It was buying her silence. 

Lou checked her watch. She had a little time before she had to head out and meet up with Prompto. She fiddled with the crescent moon necklace around her neck as she thought. The necklace was her only valuable possession, and she’d owned it for as long as she could recall. She couldn't remember how she’d gotten it -- she assumed it must have been given to her. Engraved on the back of the moon the words  _ Find Me in Insomnia _ . 

If only she could remember anything from before the orphanage.

Lou raced home and dug out the knapsack she had used to carry her scant belongings out of the orphanage with her at eighteen. She was grateful she had held onto it after moving in. Lou filled it with some clothes. She had few personal items to call her own, so at least she wouldn't have much to carry. Lou paused long enough to feed Pryna.

Pryna chowed down on her kibble before losing interest in her dinner and was instead now watching Lou scurry around the apartment.

She quickly changed out of her work clothes. She had little use for the white blouse, but she would at least keep the denim pants. They were sturdy, new enough to not be so worn out. Lou shoved a cap on her head to keep warm and wound a scarf around her neck. If they were leaving Niflheim, they were likely making for Lucis. 

It never snowed in Lucis if the stories were to be believed. It was supposedly warm all year round there. 

She reached for her stash of gil taped to the top of her bathroom cabinet and shoved it into the secret pocket she had sewn into the lining of her backpack.

Lou looked around her tiny one-room apartment. She couldn't say she would miss it… but it had been her home for the last few years. With a deep breath, and everything she cared about sitting on her shoulders, she stepped outside the door with Pryna at her heel.

She stepped out in time to see Gentiana was coming up the stairs with a basket of laundry on her hip. She didn’t look entirely surprised to see Lou carrying all of her worldly possessions with her.

"Good luck, my lady," she said. Lou gaped when Gentiana bowed to her. "May your travels be swift, and your companions close." 

She turned and walked away. Lou almost wanted to call out to her, to ask Gentiana how she knew, but she didn't have much time if she wanted to meet up with Prom at 6:30. Lou hurried back down the stairs.

Somehow, the normally dreary city looked less like it’s gray, drab self and seemed brighter. Like the sun had splashed color over all the buildings. Now that there was a chance of getting out that oppressive weight that sat upon her shoulders felt as if it had lifted just a little.

Aldercapt Park wasn't much of a park, especially in the dead of winter. The ponds were frozen over, the trees bare of leaves. Finding Prom wasn't difficult. He was a lone dark figure on a backdrop of white.

"I was sort of expecting you weren't going to show," Prom said when she approached.

"Well, here I am," Lou responded.

"So, since you've come, I figure we had better introduce ourselves properly. I'm Prompto Argentum."

"Lou Innomina. This is Pryna," Lou said. 

Prompto stooped to pet Pryna. "Innomina? Nameless?"

"I'm an orphan. I was found by Ghorovas Rift, unconscious, with no memory of anything, really. I was taken to an orphanage. Since I couldn’t remember my name, they called me Innomina. I came to Gralea to find work when I turned eighteen and I've been here since."

Prompto groaned and tilted his face up to the sky.

"That's gonna complicate things," he said.

"How?"

"You've heard the rumors right? That the lost princess of Tenebrae lives."

Of course Lou had. It was only the hottest gossip of the decade. Prompto continued.

"Well her brother, Prince Ravus, is offering a reward to anyone who can present her to him, and prove it's really her. The only problem is that he's all the way in Insomnia," Prompto said.

"Wait, you think I'm  _ Princess Lunafreya _ ?" Lou asked. The idea was ridiculous. She wasn't any different from any other blonde, blue haired Niflheimr woman.

"You might be, you might not be," Prompto said with a grin. "But we just need to convince Prince Ravus that you are."

"Are you - are you suggesting we con a royal?" Lou asked.

"Think of it! We'll be out of Niflheim, in Insomnia. The City of Lights. The city that never sleeps. At the very least, we could make a new start there. And the reward money would only make it easier!"

"What could I possibly get out of this? You would take the money, and then I would have to spend the rest of my life pretending to be someone I'm not?"

"You certainly have a keen resemblance to her," Prompto pointed out, retrieving a worn photo from his pocket and held it up next to her face. "The same nose and chin. Eyes are pretty close too."

"Alright, say I go along with this, how exactly are we going to get out of Niflheim? I certainly don't have papers," Lou said. Prompto threw an arm around her shoulders.

"Walk with me," he said. They followed the winding path around several frozen ponds. "Supposedly, the King of Lucis dispatched people to Niflheim to find the princess. See, Tenebrae and Lucis have historically been allies. They gave the prince sanctuary, and now they want to find the princess. I happen to know where to find one of his agents. All we need to do is get them to help us out. They'd be able to hook you up with some papers, and we would have an escort all the way to Insomnia, and a guaranteed audience with Prince Ravus."

Lou thought it over in silence. She’d jumped at the idea of escaping Gralea. She was already ready to go. There was nothing holding her here. No real friends, only coworkers, neighbors, passing acquaintances. No one, who would truly miss her. Her coworkers would grumble when she didn’t show for her next shift, but they’d deal with it. Really, she had nothing to lose.

"It's risky. Really risky."

"We could get arrested," Prompto agreed.

"We could get  _ shot _ ," Lou returned.

"Totally worth the risk, in my opinion."

Lou looked at Prompto, her brows pulled down in worry, then at Pryna, who sat at their heels. Her fluffy head turned to look at her curiously. This was crazy. The idea was ridiculously dangerous. But the lure of Insomnia was too strong. Lou sighed.

"Okay, I'm in," she said. 

Prompto smiled again, and it was like looking at a bright summer's day. A smile suited his face and accentuated the cute freckles dusting his cheeks and nose. He stuck his hand out to her. She reached out and they shook on it. 

There was so much that could go wrong here, but they were willing to risk it. If it meant finding her family, rediscovering who she was and where she came from, it had to be worth it.

"Great to have you on board, Lou. Now, let's see a man about some papers."

Together, they walked out of Aldercapt Park, hearts and minds set on a far off goal.

* * *

Nyx was having the worst month of his life.  _ Go to Niflheim and find Princess Lunafreya _ , they’d said.  _ It’ll be good for your career _ , they’d said. Well, he had managed to destroy his cell within the first week, and thus was unable to send encrypted updates on his status. Chances were, they assumed he was dead.

He just wanted to go home. but he refused until he had something to show for it. Though he was running out of cash, fast. Picking pockets was a lot harder when almost everyone he tried to bump into immediately became defensive and aggressive. He was ready to give up and attempt to head back to Lucis, when he met Lou.

There was no shortage of blonde, blue-eyed women who looked between the ages of twenty and twenty-five in Niflheim, but the young waitress at the diner had stood out to him. There was something about her that set off his instincts. He was fairly certain that Lou was the one he was looking for. Magic recognized magic, and while his own might have been borrowed, he could feel hers sleeping beneath her skin when she was close. It was raw, untapped, but there was no mistaking it.

He wished he’d had an excuse to linger in the diner to talk to her. Such a public space was no place for a conversation that could be potentially dangerous if the wrong person overheard. There was obviously a reason she was living as an ordinary citizen, waiting  _ tables  _ of all things.

If only he could track her down and talk to her properly, maybe convince her to come with him back to Lucis. 

He wasn’t cut out for this kind of mission. Undercover work had never been his forte. He could handle basic stealth, but having to assume an entirely different identity and laying low was harder for him when he liked being the center of attention.

Someone knocked on the door to the dingy apartment he was using as shelter. Nyx reached for a kukri and held it at the ready as he approached the door. He looked through the peephole to see a short blonde man waiting on the other side.

“What do you want?” Nyx asked through the door. 

The man hesitated. He turned his head to speak to someone off to the side. The visitor stepped back and Lou stepped into view. Nyx unlocked the door and edged it open.

“Hello?” Lou said. She looked nervous.

“Are you armed?” Nyx asked. The man sighed.

“Yeah, hold on.” The man reached under his coat and pulled a pistol from his waistband. The woman stared at it in shock. Clearly, she hadn’t known he was concealing it.

“Put it away, then keep your hands where I can see them. Come in.”

Nyx let them in and shut the door behind them.

“So... word is you can get us exit papers,” the man said without preamble.

“Don’t know where you heard that from,” Nyx said.

The man shrugged. “Here and there.”

“Uh-huh. And why should I help you,” Nyx asked.

“Yes. We want to go to Insomnia,” Lou said. She reached for a piece of jewelry around her neck and played with it nervously. 

Nyx studied them. They looked genuine, and well, the fact that the very woman he had been planning on seeking out had come to him. It seemed too good to be true.

“So, if you know I’ve got your ticket out of this frozen hellscape, then you know why I’ve got ‘em.”

“I’ve heard a thing or two. You work for King Regis, and your mission here is to find Princess Lunafreya,” the man said. 

Well, that was more than what anyone should know. Nyx sat down and sighed. “Okay, so, here’s how it’s going to work. I do the talking, I carry our papers so no one conveniently loses them. I don’t expect us to run into any actual trouble, but if we do, I will handle it. Got it?”

The man opened his mouth to argue, only to be interrupted by Lou elbowing him.

“What?” the man asked.

“He’s the one who got here, he must have some idea of what he’s doing,” she said.

“Thank you, Princess,” Nyx said. He watched her reaction carefully. She blinked, as if a little confused he was addressing her, but then it smoothed over. Not quite what he was hoping for, but he would work with it. There had been too many people pretending to be Princess Lunafreya in the last few years.

“So when do we leave?” the man asked. 

Nyx glanced over the two, noting their packs. “The last train out of Gralea leaves in an hour. Be ready to go by then,” he extended his hand to them. “I’m Nyx Ulric. Pleasure working with you.”

“Prompto Argentum,” the man said. They shook hands. 

Nyx turned to the princess.

“Please, call me Lou,” she said.

Nyx could only hope, as he studied the two blondes, that things weren’t about to fall to shit.


	2. Chapter 2

Chancellor Ardyn Izunia sat in his least disliked coffee shop in the city and quietly sipped his coffee, listening in on his neighbor’s hushed conversation. Rumors often ran rampant through Gralea, but this one was fascinating.

The Empire had long since known that Lucis had been searching for the princess of Tenebrae. They were aware that there was always at least one of their agents on imperial soil. But as far as anyone else knew, the search was futile. No one had been able to confirm the princess’ death twelve years ago, but no one had been successful in finding her either. 

“I heard that she’s been hiding in plain sight. Pretending to be a nobody commoner. She could be any girl you see walking down the street and you’d never even know,” the young man whispered to his three captive companions. They were huddled around a too small table, their drinks going cold in their distraction.

“Yeah but... she’d look... well, regal, right? She is a princess, after all,” his companion said.

“After twelve years living rough in Gralea? Who knows.”

Ardyn set down his cup and folded the newspaper he had been pretending to read. Prince Ravus had no claim to the Tenebraean throne so long as there was a possibility that his sister lived. Not that he could even dare step foot in Tenebrae without bringing the might of the Empire down on his head. No, the princeling could rot in the ebony tower that was Insomnia for all he cared. 

If Princess Lunafreya truly was alive, then well, he would simply have to make sure he finally finished the job. 

Ardyn took his leave of the cafe and stepped off the curb towards his car. If he was to catch her before there was a chance of her attempting to flee, the first thing he needed to do was stop the trains leaving Gralea. And he knew just how to do it.

* * *

They shuffled inside one of the compartments and shut the door. Lou flopped onto the seat and sighed. Prompto and Nyx joined her. They’d cut it a little too close and nearly missed the train altogether.

Lou looked out the window as Gralea rushed by the window. It felt strange. She didn’t truly know where she was from, but Gralea had been her home for years. She’d come here after coming of age within the orphanage. Ghorovas had grown as a city, but there was very little work to be had there. She’d come to Gralea to find work and survive. Gralea was safe so long as she kept her head down; there was anonymity in their cramped population. And now she was finally leaving. It felt surreal. She hadn’t stepped foot outside the city since her arrival at eighteen. Lou hadn’t expected she would get the chance to leave at all, let alone while still relatively young.

None of them dared to utter a word until the train was out of Gralea and on its way to the next stop: Ghorovas, Niflheim. The frozen waste of a city Lou had come of age in. She doubted it had changed much in the six years she had been gone.

Pryna hopped up onto the seat and rested her head on Lou’s knee.

“Can’t believe we had to bring the dog,” Nyx groused. He hadn’t been pleased by Lou’s refusal to leave Pryna behind, but she was not about to abandon her only long-time companion to the streets of Gralea.

“Pryna is well behaved and obedient. There won’t be an issue,” Lou said. Pryna woofed softly and wagged her tail at the attention.

“Besides, it’s not like any of the station staff even noticed her,” Prompto said. He reached out and scratched her between the ears. “Normally they wouldn’t let a dog into the passenger cars.”

“Hm, funny that,” Nyx said. 

Lou wondered if Nyx could tell that Pryna was different. She didn’t know how, but Pryna had always looked different to her. Like she was something more than just a dog. Maybe one day she would find out.

The trip to Altissia would take a few days, but they hadn’t been able to afford tickets for a sleeper car. They would be crammed in the small passenger compartment the entire journey. Lou wasn’t dreading it, but certainly not looking forward to it. It certainly couldn’t be worse than the poorly funded Ghorovas orphanage she had grown up in.

She had shared a small, cramped room with five other girls her age, all of them slept on rickety bunk beds that seemed they were one shift away from falling apart. Getting her own apartment in Gralea had felt like the greatest of luxuries. It had been years since she had had to share a space with anyone, but Lou was certain she would manage.

* * *

Pryna’s tail wagged while Prompto lavished her with attention, happily petting and scratching her while crooning in a baby voice.

Gralea slowly shrank in the distance and soon, they would reach Ghorovas Rift and the small town that had managed to build up on the far side of it. Lou was just glad they wouldn’t be stopping there for long. Nyx returned to the compartment and shut the door. He sat down and closed his eyes to rest. The yellow lighting of the compartment lamps highlighted small marks on his face Lou hadn’t noticed before: tattoos.

“What? Something on my face?” he asked.

“No. I just noticed your tattoos. Do they mean anything?” Lou asked.

Nyx hummed and regarded her for a moment. He pointed to the small arrow-like tattoo on his right cheek.

“Crow’s feet for my sister, Crowe,” he explained, then he indicated the line and dot under his left eye, “for my brother Libertus. The rest aren’t much of anything besides lines of ink.”

Lou thought he wasn’t quite telling the truth about that, but she didn’t pry. He was a soldier of Lucis, it would be stupid to think he had never endured tragedy.

“What about you Princess, got any ink?” he asked. Lou hummed.

“I thought about it, once or twice when I was growing up. But Ghorovas didn’t have anywhere I could get one and not catch something along with it. And Gralea...well, if I wanted to get and keep a job, the most I could have was pierced ears. I never considered it long enough to even have an idea of what I wanted. Maybe one day,” Lou said with a shrug. 

In the corner of her eye, she saw Prompto pick at a leather wrist band he wore on his right wrist. He quickly halted the motion when he noticed her staring, and shoved his hands under his thighs in an awkward attempt to keep from fidgeting further.

It took nearly four hours to make it to Ghorovas Rift, and the heating systems inside the train automatically powered on to keep the passengers warm as they traveled passed the Glacian’s body. Lou averted her eyes when their compartment reached the dead Astral’s face. It always seemed like such sacrilege to kill one of the Six, and then to just leave the body there.

Though, she supposed, there might not have been much choice in the matter, given how everything around the Rift had been turned into a frozen wasteland immediately after. Not that it had really stopped anyone from deciding to build an entire town on the other side of the massive canyon. 

The train suddenly screeched to a stop half-way across a suspension bridge, tossing Lou out of her seat and onto Nyx.

“Are you alright?” he asked her as he helped her stand

“I’m fine,” Lou said.

“Why’d we stop?” Prompto asked, getting up out of his seat. He poked his head out through the compartment door, joining several other passengers investigating the train car. 

The intercom crackled to life with the conductor’s voice, tinny and broken. “Please remain calm and inside your compartments. Our on board security will deal with any issues.” The message repeated, until the power cut out. Several frightened cries went up.

The floodlights that were mounted on the exterior of the train to frighten away daemons flickered and went out.

“Shit.” Nyx reached under his coat and drew a pair of peculiar daggers from his belt. The handles appeared to be made from bone of all things, with carvings that resembled his tattoos.

“We’re sitting ducks out here,” Prompto said. He reached for his gun and held it tight.

There were screams outside the compartment, followed by the sharp echoes of gunfire. Daemons had come aboard the train.

“Stay here and protect the princess,” Nyx said. He slid open the door, then shut it behind him. The sounds of gunfire and bladed weapons striking flesh got closer and closer to their car, solidly in the middle of the train. The daemons were getting closer. 

A child screamed a few compartments over, shocking Lou into a gasp. Prompto leaned against the door, peering out the little window to the rest of the train, holding his gun at the ready.

“How close are they?” Lou asked. Pryna stood and placed herself between Lou and the door, hackles raised. 

A demon slammed against the door, the window shattering. Lou screamed as Prompto aimed his gun through the window and pulled the weapon’s trigger. The sound deafened Lou, drowning out the daemon’s screech. 

The daemon shoved the door open, trying to force its way inside. Prompto shot it twice more, but it was wrenched back. It’s throat was slit, and it faded away in bubbling miasma.

Nyx stood in the doorway, the daemon’s ichor splattered across his coat, and a shallow slash across his left cheek.

“You two okay?” he asked, and both nodded. “There’s more daemons in other cars, and the guards are getting overwhelmed. I’m going to help as much as I can.”

Nyx looked them over one final time before he rushed down the hallway. The entire car had gone frightfully silent. There was more gunfire further down the train.

“I don’t understand how this happened. The train stopping is one thing, but for the power to go out, it’s too much of a coincidence,” Lou said.

“Yeah. Daemons aren’t seen that often so close to the Glacian either, from what I’ve heard. This whole thing stinks,” Prompto said. He quickly reloaded his gun. Lou could only stare at the empty shells discarded on the floor.

“They’re after me, aren’t they?” she asked. 

Prompto turned to look at her. “What?”

“They’re coming up the train from both ends. One just tried to force its way in here. They’re after me,” Lou repeated. 

Prompto opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the compartment door. Lou stood, and while Prompto’s attention was elsewhere, she darted through the compartment’s door.

“Lou! Where are you going?” he called after her. 

Lou raced down the hallway, Pryna at her heels. She reached the end of the car and shoved the door open. The gap between the cars was small enough for her to jump across, but that wasn’t her goal. 

Lou clambered over the safety railing and dropped down to the tracks. She stepped away from the train and was blasted with frigid wind. The train had stopped half-way across the suspension bridge -- there was only a small gap of a walkway meant for maintenance crews to pass.

Pryna whined and hopped on her feet, shaking out her paws. Lou hefted Pryna into her arms.

“Sorry, girl. Let’s go this way,” she said. Lou walked down the walkway, peering into the train windows: the guards were still fighting off the daemons. “Maybe they’ll leave the train alone if I leave it.”

“Lou!” Prompto was still following her. “Lou!  _ Lunafreya _ !”

Her breath hitched, but she refused to look back. This was incredibly reckless and stupid of her, she admitted. It defeated the whole purpose of getting out of Gralea, but the other train passengers were innocent. They would have been perfectly safe if she hadn’t been on the train.

The ground bubbled in front of her, and the shadow of a massive daemon hauled itself out of the viscous pool. Lou backed awayas Pryna started to bark at the threat and wriggled her way out of Lou’s grip.

“Pryna! No!”

Pryna growled and barked. Prompto latched onto Lou’s arms and dragged her back. She twisted away from him. A second set of arms wrapped around her waist and lifted. Lou swung her elbow back and struck Nyx in the face. He yelled in pain, but didn’t let go. She reached out to where the daemon bore down on Pryna, a small, white fluffy beacon in the darkness.

“ _ Pryna _ !”

A sudden pressure built up in Lou’s core then exploded outwards as a blinding golden light. She was dropped to the ground and the icy concrete jarred her knees and stung her palms when she landed. Lou opened an eye to see she was glowing. Light flowed from her body like a thick fog. The daemon screeched in pain as it was vaporized by the light’s touch.

The light slowly faded away and Lou felt her entire body sag on the frigid ground. Pryna trotted back to her and nuzzled against her.

Power had been restored to the train, and the floodlights were back on. 

Prompto reached down and helped Lou back to her feet. Pryna woofed and hopped up onto her hind legs and whined. Lou reached down to pick her up.

“I know it’s cold,” she said. She buried her face into Pryna’s fur and let the heat radiating from the dog warm her.

“That was incredibly stupid of you, princess,” Nyx said. Despite the comically large bruise now blooming across his right cheek, he still managed to look stern. Then he turned to Prompto. “And you were supposed to be watching her!”

Prompto flinched back and struggled to find a response.

“Let’s just get back on the train before it leaves without us,” Lou said. She headed for their car and reboarded. The two men followed after her, and they ignored the stares of the other passengers. Likely everyone had seen what had happened outside. here was nothing they could do about it now.

Lou was struck by a wave of dizziness. She gasped and dropped down onto the bench seat to lay down.

“Lou! Are you okay?” Prompto asked. He knelt down to gently turn her face towards him.

“I’m so tired, and dizzy,” she slurred. Her eyes rolled back and everything went dark.


	3. Chapter 3

Lou regained consciousness just as the train was leaving Ghorovas, Prompto and Nyx hovering over her unsure of what to do.

“What happened to me?” she asked.

“You fainted right before the train got moving again. Said you were dizzy,” Prompto said.

"I'm not surprised, that was some powerful magic you used," Nyx said. “I didn’t even know the Oracle could do something like that.”

Lou hoped she had masked her confusion well enough. Everyone raised within the Empire knew of the Oracle, and her line. She’d forgotten: being the lost princess of Tenebrae also made her the Oracle. “I’ve never done something like that before. I’ve always been able to see auras if I focused, but banishing daemons? I thought the Oracle and her magic was all about healing,” she said. Prompto helped her sit up. Her entire body felt like jell-o. Lou tried to clench a fist and found that she could barely get her fingers to curl.

“Even the Oracle has to be able to protect herself,” Nyx pointed out. Lou hummed. “I’m gonna go to the dining car and see if I can get you something warm, you look like you need it.”

He was gone before she could protest.

“I’d forgotten that if I’m Princess Lunafreya, that makes me the Lady Oracle too,” Lou whispered. Pryna hopped onto the bench and lay her fluffy bulk across Lou’s lap. She was so warm, and Lou felt some of her strength return.

“I doubt anyone would expect you to know how to be the Oracle. Queen Sylva was still Oracle twelve years ago, so I think we can get away with you not knowing much about it,” Prompto said. “And besides, the world has managed this long without the Oracle, I think it’ll be okay for a bit longer.”

That hadn’t even crossed her mind. It wasn’t as comforting a thought as Prompto believed it was. Being Princess Lunafreya, true or not, was more complicated than Lou had considered.

Nyx returned with a paper cup of cheap tea, and a pocket full of honey, sweetener, and creamer cups. Lou added three sugar packets and four creamers before the tea was even marginally palatable.

“There’s another day before we arrive at Tenebrae. There’s rumor that all trains are being stopped there. We may have to find an alternative route the rest of the way to Succarpe,” Nyx said. 

Prompto sighed and reached up into the luggage rack for his backpack. He pulled out a faded, wrinkled map of the Empire. Nyx set up the crummy folding table between the two benches. Prompto spread out the map and the pair leaned over it.

Lou knew they had just left Ghorovas behind, and had about a day’s journey left before they reached Tenebrae and its capital city of Zoldara Henge. She had no illusions that no matter how they secured passage across the rest of the Empire, it would not be comfortable.

“We might be able to find a freight truck or something to get us to Cartanica, at the least. From there we should be able to take another train the rest of the way,” Prompto said. 

“Will we have enough to bribe a driver, though? They would have to get us there, plus keep quiet that we were ever there,” Nyx said.

“We should. I brought a few things of value that can be traded, if we have to,” Prompto said.

“I’ve also got everything I’ve saved while living in Gralea,” Lou added. “It’s not a lot, but should help.”

“At least once we’re in Lucis, we won’t have to worry about it so much,” Nyx sighed. Prompto folded the map back up and put it away. Lou looked away when she noticed a small chest in his bag that carried the seal of a noble family. It wasn’t her business where Prompto came from. So long as he was honest about his intentions, she didn’t care. They folded the table away, and Nyx curled up under his coat.

“I’m gonna catch some shut eye, you two should do the same,” he said. Despite how tired she still felt, and how much she wanted to rest, Lou couldn’t fall back asleep. Her impromptu nap had been more than enough for her, for now.

“Lou, do you want to start reviewing what you’re supposed to know?” Prompto asked.

“Yeah, okay,” Lou said. 

They spoke quietly, their heads together as Prompto laid out the family tree of House Fleuret. Lunafreya and Ravus Nox Fleuret were the children of Queen Sylva Via Fleuret. Their father had been a duke from a declining family. By the time Lunafreya had been born, his children were the last of his line. And so it went, further and further back. How Prompto knew so much was a mystery, but Lou had always been a quick study, and memorising it all would not be difficult.

They went back ten generations, which really was quite a lot before Prompto finally dozed off. Lou decided to finally get some sleep herself. Prompto was warm beside her, with Pryna draped across their laps, she was warmer than any blanket.

* * *

Lou woke to Nyx speaking quietly.

“Don’t wake them up, Pryna, I need to take a picture of this,” he whispered. There was the sound of a phone camera going off, and Lou opened her yes. “Well, don’t you two look comfy.”

While they were asleep, Lou and Prompto had drifted closer together until they were leaning against each other. Prompto’s head rested against her own. Nyx was right, she was comfortable.

“Sleep well, princess?” Nyx asked.

“Well enough,” she said. Lou tried to turn her head to look out the window, but Nyx must have closed the blinds to keep the light out. “How much longer until we arrive in Zoldara Henge, do you think?” she asked. 

Nyx leaned over and pulled the blinds up quietly.

“I’d say we’ll get there this afternoon. Normally, I wouldn’t want to linger, but I think we’ll be okay if we stay just one night. In case we don’t find a ride as soon as we get there.”

“We’re not going to have enough money for a hotel room, are we?”

Lou jumped when Prompto spoke up. His voice was close to her ear, and raspy with sleep. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, sleep giving him a youthful look Lou hadn’t noticed before. More like a young man barely out of his teens, but clearly already world-weary in a way so many from Niflheim end up.

“Probably not. We might be able to find a caravan to cram into. Can’t be any more uncomfortable than this train car,” Nyx said. Prompto shifted and cracked the stiffness from his neck. Lou winced from the sound of it. “Trying to break your neck there, blondie?”

“Shut up,” Prompto grumbled. 

Lou nudged Pryna off her lap and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head and sighed. “Going to use the facilities,” she announced. They let her leave. 

Lou found the women’s restroom in the next car, and happily shut the door and slid the latch. She leaned against the door and let out a sigh. Having company was nice, but there was such a thing as  _ too  _ much company. She was too used to being on her own. And it certainly didn’t help that both of her new travel companions were rather handsome. 

Lou had never been the type to be distracted by boys growing up. She certainly had eyes, and could appreciate a nice face, regardless of gender. But, well... Nyx and Prompto were a breath of fresh air compared to the men she was accustomed to dealing with as a waitress.

Someone knocked on the door. Lou jumped at the sound.

“Just a moment!” she called. She finished washing her hands and face and grabbed some paper towel to dry off with. She unlatched the door and smiled apologetically to the woman waiting. A child standing about as high as her waist danced before her, clearly needing to go.

Lou stepped aside as the child darted past her. 

“Sorry about that,” she said. The mother barely acknowledged her, so Lou returned to her compartment. Prompto was gone when she got back, but Nyx was still seated, that cracked cell phone of his in hand.

“Prompto volunteered to try and get us something to eat,” he said. He turned the phone over in his hands, before huffing in disgust and tucking it away in an inner pocket of his coat.

“What’s that phone for, anyway?” Lou asked.

“It’s what I’m supposed to use to stay in contact with home. I managed to break it my first week here,” Nyx said.

“Does that mean no one knows where you are?” Lou asked. Nyx grimaced.

“Yeah. I’ve been here almost seven weeks, so I’ve probably been declared dead by now. I’ll have to call from a public phone in Galdin Quay to get someone to come get us,” Nyx explained.

Prompto returned, bearing a cardboard tray of coffee cups, sugar, creamer, and a take out box of warmed pastries.

“Only the pastries and coffee are free for breakfast, so, uh, eat up,” he said. The table was pulled out again and they ate the cheap jam filled pastries in silence. The coffee was practically sludge going down, but Lou did her best not to complain.

The next several hours were long and boring. Prompto quizzed Lou on the Tenebraean royal family again, and was surprised by how well she remembered it. The hardest part about it really was who was married to who. That got complicated very quickly.

The train slowed and came to a jolting stop and hiss. Lou looked out the window at the green rocky, floating cliffs of Tenebrae. High up in the distance, Fenestala Manor loomed, an empty, cold reminder of what the small nation had lost.

“Come on, Lou,” Prompto nudged. 

She stood up, and grabbed her things. The train emptied of passengers, and they hastily exited the platform and station proper.

Lou had never been further north than Ghorovas, and was accustomed to its eternal bitter cold. Zoldara Henge was not quite as chilled, noticeably warmer. They all shrugged off their outermost layers right away. Lou looked around, at the city Zoldara had built itself into.

The city had risen beneath the shadow of the Oracle line’s Manor home. It was first populated by the servants they had employed, and their families. Then businesses arrived, hoping to make their services available to royalty and earn a tidy profit. 

Much of it was empty and abandoned now. Without a royal family to wait upon, many could no longer afford to stay. But somehow, despite all that, Zoldara Henge felt like coming home.

Lou took a deep breath, the scent of blooming flowers reached her nose. Sweet, fragrant... and it brought to mind something Lou felt she should remember. She followed Nyx and Prompto, Pryna at her heel.

“We’re going to need somewhere to shelter for the night. There’s plenty of abandoned buildings,” Prompto said.

“In the meantime…” Nyx’s voice faded from her hearing. 

Lou followed the path that led to the manor house. Even empty, it was imposing to look upon. Little care had been taken in its ransacking twelve years ago, but it was still an impressive sight. The bridges that tethered the strange floating mountains together were worn, and had received little care in the intervening years. Lou stepped carefully across them, as the manor house grew larger and larger with her approach.

She finally reached the summit, and found herself standing upon the edge of a wild field of blue flowers. They were beautiful as they swayed in the wind. She knelt down and carefully plucked one and held it up.

“Sylleblossoms.” Lou wasn’t sure how she knew that. She had seen the flowers in photos of course, but she knew she had never seen them in person before. 

Lou stood and stepped into the field. She didn’t want to disturb the flowers, but it was the only way to get to the manor. The wildly growing sylleblossoms had long since claimed any marked paths. Lou looked up at the manor. Much like the near ghost town below, it felt achingly familiar. A tight knot that had been sitting in her chest since the moment she stepped off the train and onto the platform squeezed that much tighter.

She took a deep breath and stepped into the field. The closer she got, the more that knot squeezed. She had to get inside the manor. Pryna yipped and dove into the field.

The large, ornate wooden doors were ajar. A strong wind whistled between the mountains, tugging at her clothes and hair, pushing her ever forward. Lou placed a hand on one of the doors. The wood was worn and warped from the elements, whith no one to refresh stain or lacquer upon its surface. Scorch marks and bullet holes riddled the outside. Dirt, leaves and flower petals had piled up against the doors and inside the gap left exposed. Lou pushed on one, and it slowly squeaked open. She squeezed through the gap and was inside.

Nothing lit the grand entrance way but for the blown out windows on both sides. The early evening sun illuminated the once-white marble tile aflame. A shattered chandelier sat in the middle of the floor, cracks spider-webbing out from the center. Lou carefully stepped around it. Furniture was toppled over or destroyed, the signs of further gunfire marred everything.

Paintings had once lined the walls, but their canvases were slashed, burned and destroyed by the elements. There would be no saving whatever part of Tenebraean history and culture they once held. Many had fallen to the floor, their frames bent or ripped apart.

Pryna whined from the door before finally entering. She circled Lou’s shins and nosed at her hand. Lou petted her carefully, brushing away flower petals and pollen from the dog’s coat. Pryna nudged against her calves, as if to move her forward before trotting to a staircase at the end of the entranceway.

“Wait, Pryna!” Lou hissed. The dog ignored her and climbed the stairs until her fluffy tail disappeared from sight. Lou sighed and hurried after her. There was no way of knowing how structurally sound the second floor would be. Lou climbed the steps, dust rising from the filthy carpet in small plumes. She kept a hand on the bannister, just in case. She reached the top of the stairs and brushed the dust off her hand.

She looked around, but Pryna had disappeared.

“Pryna! Pryna where are you!” she called. There was a thud from down the hallway from a room missing a door. “Pryna?”

Lou approached slowly. She plastered herself against the wall beside the doorway and peaked inside. She gasped quietly. Hanging above a massive fireplace was a large painting. Pryna had sat down, gazing up at it, her tail wagging in excitement.

A beautiful blonde woman dressed in an ornate royal dress sat upon a plush, beautifully crafted chair. A crown of silver and clear quartz rested upon her head. Her expression was stern, but there was a look of warmth in her eyes. To the left of her, with a hand resting upon the back of the seat was an adolescent boy with silver hair. His grey eyes were kind as he stood straight, his free hand tucked at the small of his back in a partial parade rest position. He wore a fine, tailored suit in deep blue, with the crest of House Fleuret stitched onto the breast of the jacket. A sword hung at his hip, a beautifully crafted hilt that somehow shone from the paint.

Finally, Lou turned her attention to the third figure in the painting. A blonde girl on the cusp of adolescence. Her straight hair was loose over her shoulders, her straight cut bangs hung over her forehead, ending just above her brow. She was the only one smiling. Her dress was the purest of white, with a loose skirt that fell to her knees, ending with lace trim. The same lace edged the capped sleeves of the dress. Like the boy, the unicorn crest of the family was stitched on the left breast of the bodice. She wore stockings and white Mary Janes on her feet. The crest was the only hint of color on her clothes.

Lou stepped closer, entranced by the painting, drinking in every detail. The nearly invisible crow’s feet at the edges of the queen’s eyes. The tiniest upward tilt of Prince Ravus’ lips. The dusting of freckles across Princess Lunafreya’s cheeks and nose. The same freckles that were mirrored on Lou’s face, faded as they were from a lack of warm light. She stood on the hearth and reached out to touch the painting. She braced a hand against the fireplace mantle and stood up on her toes.

Her fingertips were mere inches from the dirty frame when Pryna barked. 

“Lou!” Prompto cried.

The spell broke and Lou blinked. She whirled around just as Prompto and Nyx slid into the room, harried and out of breath. Prompto looked her over, checking to see if she was safe. She had hardly noticed that the knot in her chest was gone. Nyx was glancing between her and the painting, a furrow in his brow.

Nyx swore. Prompto looked up at him.

“What is it?” Prompto asked.

“Look at the painting,” Nyx leaned against the wall. Prompto did as asked and his eyes widened.

“What?” Lou asked.

“Well, Princess, if there was any doubt as to your identity, that painting sure blew it out of the water,” Nyx finally said. 

Lou stepped off the hearth and approached. She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about the way they stared at her.

“Any luck finding us somewhere to sleep? Or a way to get out of Tenebrae?” she asked.

“Nothing on either end. Zoldara is almost a ghost town. We can’t guarantee that someone won’t report us to the Empire, even if we tried bribing them to let us sleep on their floor. And what little trade that comes through only happens every few weeks. We’re going to have to walk,” Nyx said.

“We can sleep here.”

“What?”

“No one is likely to notice if someone squats here for a night. And technically, it’s my house,” Lou said. They chuckled in the face of her logic.

“If we sleep here, we don’t want to be visible at a distance by lighting a fire. I know where we can sleep here and not be found,” Prompto said. “Follow me.”

Prompto led them down the hall and into another room. Nyx and Lou exchanged a glance as Prompto started to push against the wall in various spots.

“If I’m remembering right, it should be…” a panel in the wall shifted then slid open. Dust kicked up and he waved it away. “Ah, here we go.”

“How did you know that was there?” Nyx asked.

“My mother worked as one of the cleaning staff. She couldn’t find childcare for me, so I came along with her to work. When I was old enough, I assisted the servants. I learned where all the hidden corridors were. Servants used them to get to rooms and clean without getting in the way or being seen,” Prompto said. He pulled a flashlight from his pack and turned it on. He led them into the corridor.

“Clever. So where are we headed?” Nyx asked. They were definitely headed downward.

“Kitchens. They face away from the town, and the windows are narrow. We can build a fire in one of the hearths.”

The walkway was dusty and cobwebs hung from the walls and ceiling. It was dark and creepy in a way the rest of the abandoned manor wasn’t.

They came to an open door and stepped out into what was left of the kitchens. Like the rest of the manor, it had been raided for anything of value or use. Lou suspected that the only reason that massive painting was still in place was that it’s sheer size was preventing its theft.

They set up camp in front of the largest of the hearths. They didn’t have much to work with, but they made do. Night fell quickly and Lou found herself wide awake and fairly buzzing with energy. She wondered if it had anything to do with being here.

The evidence of her truly being Princess Lunafreya was only stacking up. The magic she’d displayed over Ghorovas. Everyone knew there were only two family lines in all of Eos capable of channeling  _ any  _ kind of magic: the Lucis Caelums, with only two surviving members, and the women of the Fleuret family. She knew this. It was still common knowledge. The Empire hadn’t succeeded in erasing it from history yet. 

Lou glanced over at Nyx and Prompto to see them both asleep and snoring. She sat up and shoved her feet back into her shoes and quietly tiptoed away from their little camp area. Pryna snuffled and followed silently, her claws making little clicking noises against the tile.

Lou swiped Prompto’s flashlight and clicked it on as she dove into the silent corridor. She couldn’t sleep and she needed to see more of the manor. There was something whispering in her ear, urging her forward. Lou pressed onward, unperturbed by the heavy silence and dark. This place had once been home. There wasn’t any reason for her to be afraid.

Pryna trotted ahead and came to a stop at a door. She pressed her paws against the warped wood and scratched at it.

“Want to go in?” Lou asked. Pryna responded by pushing against the door some more. “Okay, okay.”

Lou shoved the door open and swept the flashlight over everything. They were in a bedroom. It was just as richly decorated as every other part of the manor, but something about it seemed younger. Some of the furniture was smaller, to accommodate a child.

Photographs covered heavily in dust sat upon the mantle of the large fireplace. Lou reached for one and nearly dropped it. It showed her, sitting beside a dark haired boy at a piano. They were smiling. They looked so happy and carefree. She wished she could remember who that boy was. 

She flipped the frame over and carefully pushed the tabs that held the backing in aside. Once it popped out, Lou removed the photo and carefully folded it and pocketed it.

Lou studied the other photos when Pryna suddenly barked. Lou whirled around, seeing Pryna’s wagging tail, her attention on a figure standing at the doorway

“Who-?”

“The Oracle returns to her ancestral home. Memories once lost shall be found. And the Night-bringer will fall,” the achingly familiar woman said.

“Gentiana?”

Gentiana’s closed eyes opened slowly, and Lou felt a chill pass over her. She held a trident in her hands, and held it out to Lou.

“To take up the Trident of the Oracle, the girl must be ready to face all that stands between mind, past, and future.”

Lou hesitated. Something in her wanted to pick up the weapon, but Gentiana’s words stayed her hand. Was she ready to know everything about herself? Ready to know the truth of all the pain and trauma her mind had locked away?

But... if she couldn’t do it now, she would never do it. This whole journey was supposed to help her reclaim her past. There was no sense in hesitating now. 

Lou looked to Gentiana’s calm and serene face. There was no encouragement or chastisement there. Just calm.

Her hand shook as she reached out. There was no telling what would happen when she grabbed the trident. But she had to try. Lou’s hand curled around the trident and the cold in the room only got more intense. Frost began to cover every surface of the room, and her breath left her in large puffs of condensation.

When she looked up at Gentiana, the long black hair and dress were gone, replaced by the shining image of Shiva. Lou gasped and averted her eyes. To look upon one of the Six was terrifying and awe-inspiring. Shiva was what any blizzard could only hope to be. Powerful and unrelenting, bringing endless cold. Lou didn’t even dare question how Shiva could stand before her now when her body still wrought an endless winter on Ghorovas.

“Go now, young Oracle. Seek out your past so that you may choose your future.”

Lou bowed her head and the frost dissipated. She still shivered with lingering cold, and the frozen steel of the trident bit into her palm. The trident was beautiful, but she wouldn’t be able to see much of the detail until the sun rose. When she looked up Shiva was gone. 

Lou clutched the trident until Pryna impatiently nudged at her legs to get her moving. Pryna had safely led her around before, there was no reason she couldn’t keep doing it.

The next room they found must have been a library at some point. The shelves were mostly empty, the tomes they held either stolen or destroyed. Lou explored, not finding much of anything. Just more dust and emptiness. She opened desk drawers, hoping to find anything. Most were empty and more than a few contained bugs. 

Then she came to one shoved into a nook in the very back of the library. Something about it felt different. Predictably, she pulled a drawer open to find it empty. Except the draw’s bottom looked oddly uneven. She pushed down on a corner and watched as the opposite corner lifted up. It was a false bottom. Lou pushed harder until she could wiggle a nail under the edge and carefully pull it up.

Once the false bottom was free, she set it down and picked up the single book that had been hidden inside. It was fairly thin, and bound in some kind of leather. Embossed on the cover was an outline of the same trident she had leaning against the wall.

Lou carefully opened the book. It was some kind of journal. The words were hand written in graceful cursive.

_ The History of House Fleuret, Line of Oracles _ was written across the top of the page. Lou mechanically climbed onto the wide windowsill and made herself comfortable. She slowly and meticulously read through the little journal by the light of Prompto’s flashlight. She read until the sun began to rise and she realized she had been up all night.

“There you are!”

Lou jumped and looked up to see Nyx leaning against the desk. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and he looked satisfied that he had managed to find her.

“Oh! Good morning?” she said slowly.

“Have you been up all night?” Nyx asked. Lou felt her cheeks warm with a blush.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she answered. “I felt like I had to explore.”

“Uh-huh. And I take it you just  _ happened  _ to stumble upon  _ the _ Trident of the Oracle?” He gestured to the ceremonial weapon leaning against the wall.

“Um,” Lou paused to think of a way to word her next statement. Her brows knit in thought and she bit her lip. “Shiva appeared and gave it to me.” 

One of Nyx’s eyebrows quirked up. Lou couldn’t help but think he looked very handsome in the early morning light.

“I don’t even know why I’m surprised, my king is literally granted the divine right to rule because of Bahamut,” he mumbled. “Anyway, Prompto went into town to grab us some food and maybe a last minute ride to Succarpe, of at least Cartanica.”

“Alright.”

Nyx held a hand out to her in a surprise gesture, and Lou slipped her hand into his and hopped down from the sill. She held onto the journal as they walked back down the kitchen. She hadn’t realized that she had ended up on the fourth floor during her late night wanderings. Lou stifled a yawn behind a hand.

“You can nap if we manage to find a ride,” Nyx said.

“I’ll manage if I can get some coffee.”

They returned to the kitchen where Prompto was waiting. He once again had coffee, and this time breakfast sandwiches of egg, ham and cheese on what Lou suspected was homemade, hand sliced bread. It was hearty and delicious. The coffee wasn’t terrible either.

“So, I’ve got some good news. Found us a ride all the way to Succarpe,” Prompto said in between bites of his own sandwich.

“Oh, thank the Six,” Lou sighed. She hadn’t been looking forward to having to walk all the way. They would have been forced to follow the train tracks to get to Succarpe on foot. The land directly in the southeast direction they would have had to take was inhospitable at best.

“So who’d you find?” Nyx asked.

“This couple, uh Biggs and Wedge. They’re headed for Accordo themselves and are heading out this morning to catch a boat. They said the drive will take most of today. We should arrive just in time to catch the boat bound for Altissia.”

“How much is it gonna cost us?”

“Enough for a tank of gas. They’ve got a truck that has a backseat, so we won’t even have to sit in the bed,” Prompto said.

“That seems…awfully convenient,” Lou said. “There’s no catch?”

“None that I could see. I even mentioned Pryna, and they said she’d probably have to sit in the bed, but so long as she doesn’t pee in it, they don’t mind.”

“I agree with Lunafreya. This sounds too good to be true. We’ll meet up with them, but if I think anything is suspicious, we’ll call it off,” Nyx said.

They finished eating, collected their things and trash, and headed out. 

They reached the bridge that would take them back to town, and Lou took a moment to take in the manor one last time. She hoped she’d get the chance to see it again someday.

Lou stared at the trident, wondering what she should with it, only for the weapon to shimmer and disappear in a flash of golden light. Well, that solved that problem.

* * *

_ Couple  _ wasn’t the word Lou would have used to describe Biggs and Wedge.  _ Duo  _ seemed the more appropriate word. Their accents reminded her of Ghorovas. She had picked up some of that accent herself growing up, but it had faded somewhat in the six years she’d spent in Gralea. When she had first gone to the orphanage, a few of the caretakers had whispered about her distinctly Tenebraen accent.

Everything about the two seemed perfectly fine. They asked no questions, nor did they offer too much about themselves. So after money exchanged hands, everyone piled into the truck, and they were o n their way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The art featured in this chapter is by the incredible @katyscarart and can be found here: https://twitter.com/katyscarart/status/1327345671398187011?s=20

Succarpe was a bustling port city that was just as drab and gray as the rest of the Empire. There was basically nothing to see or do except wait for the boat to set sail. Their tickets were procured, and their papers inspected and then they sat down to wait.

Prompto wandered off for a short while. When he returned, he handed Lou a shopping bag. “It’s a lot warmer in Altissa and Lucis, so I picked up a dress and sandals for you. Go try them on,” he said. Lou thanked him and ducked into the bathroom. She pulled the dress from the bag and held it up.

“Oh!”

Lou stepped out of her shoes and wiggled out of her denims. She tugged her shirt off before pulling the dress on. The bodice was black and off the shoulder, while the skirt was patterned with varying black and white stripes and some kind of pink flower she didn’t recognize. It fell to her knees and was comfortable to wear. Next, she picked up the sandals in a matching black with a low heel, putting them on before stuffing her other clothes into her backpack.

She took a moment to rebraid her hair in the bathroom mirror before stepping out and returning to where Prompto and Nyx were waiting.

Nyx noticed her first, and his jaw went momentarily slack before he nudged Prompto. He looked up from the brochure he was reading and his eyes widened. Prompto and Nyx exchanged words, their eyes alight. Lou reached them.

“Well?” she asked. Their reactions were already more than enough of an answer, but she wanted to hear them say it.

“You look - uh,” Prompto stuttered. There was a blush on his face. Nyx elbowed him.

“What he means, princess, is that you’re as beautiful as ever,” Nyx responded.

“As ever, hm? Does this mean I don’t clean up well?” Lou asked with a smile. She was teasing, but she wanted to see how he’d respond.

“It means that you don’t need pretty dresses to look beautiful,” Prompto said. He was almost bright red now. It was adorable.

“Thank you, Prompto, that’s very sweet of you to say,” Lou said. 

The gate closing off the pier was unlocked as the boat’s engine started up.

“Time to go! Altissia here we come!” Prompto cheered. He picked up his bag along with Lou’s. They boarded the ship and were led below deck to where the passengers would be bunking. As a mixed group of three, they were lucky enough to get a room to themselves. They entered the one they’d been assigned and set their bags down. Pryna hopped onto one of the bottom bunks and made herself comfortable. 

Once again, somehow, her presence had gone largely unnoticed by everyone else. No one mentioned them paying for an animal to come aboard, or that she wasn’t in a crate to placed in the cargo hold. 

“Well it looks like that bed is mine,” she said. Neither man complained about it, simply claiming a bed for themselves. “I’m going up to the deck, would one of you care to join me?”

“I’ll go!” Prompto volunteered. He playfully held his arm out to her, and she hooked her hand into his elbow.

“Lead on then.”

They walked out of the room and back up to the deck. The ship hadn’t set sail just yet. Prompto led them over to the railing so they could watch the scenery go by once they started moving.

“So, how are you holding up?” he asked. “These last few days have been... well, a lot.”

“I think I’m doing alright, all things considered,” Lou said. “I think I’m getting more and more nervous the closer we get to Lucis. What if the things I know won’t be enough?”

“You’ll do great. After all, this isn’t the third century anymore. It’s not like you’ll be expected to walk, or stand like a princess. That’s something I wouldn’t be able to teach you, anyway. We can go over formal dining rules if you want?”

Lou scrunched up her nose. “Anything fun?”

“Do you know how to dance?” Prompto asked.

“When you say dance, do you mean shuffling my feet to music or…?”

“A waltz.”

“If I ever knew, I definitely don’t remember.”

The horn from the ship blew, and then, they were moving. Lou watched the pier slowly shrink in the distance.

“So, dancing! Wanna give it a shot?” Prompto asked. Lou hummed.

“Why not?”

Prompto shrugged his jacket off and tugged his vest straight. Then he pulled his phone out.

“We’re going to need music, let’s see,” he mumbled as he poked at the screen. “Here we go!”

The music was barely loud enough to hear over the sound of the waves and the ship’s engine, but it was enough. Prompto stepped up to her and reached for her hands.

“Okay, first, put your left hand on my shoulder. Perfect. Now I’m going to place my right hand on your back, right below your shoulder blade.”

“Not the waist?” Lou asked.

“Only if we want to start all sorts of rumors in court,” Prompto said with a grin. Lou couldn’t help but smile back. “Now, our other hands, we hold.”

“Okay, now what?”

“The nice thing about all the boring dances nobles have to learn, is that they all have a basic rhythm and pattern. And for the most basic of waltzes, it’s a three beat step. So just follow what I do, I promise not to step on your toes.”

“Now don’t go making promises you might not be able to keep.”

“Hmph, worry about your own feet first. Now, we begin. One...two...three…”

Lou tried to step forward as Prompto shifted his weight to his left and they bumped into each other.

“Sorry.”

“Okay, let’s try again. One...two...three…”

This time, she managed to follow his lead, and slowly but surely, they completed the basic steps.

“Looking good, princess,” Nyx said. He’d come up from below and sat down next to Prompto’s phone at some point.

“Hardly,” Lou mumbled.

“Ready to try again?” Prompto asked. Lou nodded.

“Alright, don’t let me distract you two,” Nyx said. He stood and stepped over to the railing and leaned against it.

Prompto took a second to restart the song, and they resumed their start positions. For the next several minutes, the only thing Lou really noticed was the quiet sound of Prompto’s counting and the rush of the sea as the ship cut through the water.

They turned, and over Prompto’s shoulder, she spotted Nyx watching them, an odd look on his face she couldn’t quite name. She tried to give him a quick smile, but they were turning again. Then, Prompto tried something new and carefully spun her away, then back in. 

“Oh!” She swayed for a second, suddenly dizzy from both the dancing and the moment of the ship.

“Okay?”

“Sorry, I think I’m dizzy,” Lou said. Prompto nudged her over to the bench where she gratefully sat down and closed her eyes.

Prompto joined Nyx at the railing for a moment, then dragged him back over to Lou. She budged over and they sat there, watching what was left of the sunset.

* * *

They took turns changing for bed, all of them quiet and contemplative. Lou played with her necklace, absently petting Pryna while she waited for Nyx to finish whatever it was he was doing. Prompto had already climbed up into the top bunk above Nyx and was trying to sleep with the lights on.

Nyx set his bag down in the corner. “Turning out the lights now.” Lou nodded and nudged Pryna back to the foot of the bed. She went with little resistance, but settled firmly over Lou’s feet. Lou tugged the blankets up over her shoulder as the lights went out. Nyx shuffled around, getting comfortable. Then the cabin was silent.

* * *

_That dark haired boy Lou couldn’t remember was pulling her along by the hand._

_“Where are we going?” Lou asked. He didn’t answer. Only glanced back at her, as if to make sure she was still there. His hand tightened on hers for a moment as they walked up a hill of bright spring grass. Only to come to a rocky ledge. When she looked over the edge, her mother and father and brother frolicked in a pond._

_The boy with the dark hair jumped into the pond, splashing them all._

_"Come, Lunafreya! Join us!" her mother called. Lou hesitated. Something didn't seem right._

_"Come on Luna! Jump in!" the boy called. His smile was sweet and infectious. Still, Lou didn't jump._

_"It'll be fun, Lunafreya," her father said. Lou finally lifted one foot from the rocks, ready to jump._

_"Lou! Lou!"_

_She started to turn, who were they talking to?_

_"Princess! Lunafreya!"_

_"Hurry and jump, Luna!"_

_Something grabbed her from behind. Lou screamed and flailed her arms. A daemon had grabbed her from behind._

_"Wake up!"_

_"Lou!"_

Lou gasped as her eyes opened. She was soaked and freezing. She looked around. Nyx was still holding her tight.

"Nyx!"

"Are you okay?" he asked her. He gently guided her away from the boat railing.

"I saw them. My parents, my brother. They wanted me to jump into the water."

Nyx’s hands shifted to pull her closer.

"It's okay, you're okay. We've got you," Nyx whispered. Lou clung to his t-shirt. "Come on, let's all get back inside."

Prompto, who had been quietly hovering behind them, came up and threw his jacket over her shoulders.

"Thank you, for finding me," she said quietly.

They returned to their room, but Lou refused to be separated from them. Instead they all fell asleep across one of the beds together.

* * *

Ardyn wasn't sure how it was possible to be thwarted twice like this. Killing the amnesiac princess should have been easy. But the men with her were far better at guarding her than he’d expected.

"Perhaps a more direct approach would be more suitable," he murmured. "Yes, I do believe that would be best."

Ardyn reached for his cell phone to make the arrangements. The sooner he was in Insomnia, the more time he had to prepare for Lunafreya's demise.


	5. Chapter 5

Ravus Nox Fleuret frowned as a young woman was escorted from the parlor by Ignis. He’d known she was an imposter the second she’d walked through the door. The most obvious giveaway was her hair clearly came out of a bottle, rather than being natural. But the second she’d opened her mouth to speak, it was unbearably clear.

“My apologies, Your HIghness, for wasting your time,” Ignis said.

“No, it’s not your fault. It has been twelve years. I fear that the search to find my sister is a lost cause,” Ravus said. He stared into his tea cup.

“Prince Noctis believes she still lives,” Ignis said quietly. Ravus resisted the urge to snort.

“Forgive me, but Prince Noctis has always been an idealist,” he pointed out.

“That much is true, but I believe there is some merit to it. Who knows, perhaps she’ll walk through those doors any day.”

“No. No, I can’t do this anymore. If anyone else should come to call, even if they pass your test, I have no wish to meet with them,” Ravus said.

“Very well, Your Highness.”

Ravus set the full cup of tea down and retired back to his room. Twelve years wasted on chasing the past. He was older now -- he had to look forward. He hardly had much of a kingdom left, but it was his. It was all he had, really. 

It was time to focus on that.

* * *

The storm blew their ship so far off course that by the time they arrived in Altissia, they’d missed the last ferry to Galdin Quay. They would have to spend the night in Altissia.

After disembarking, they wandered the city until they came across a cafe with a dog-friendly patio where they could sit and plan.

“How much money do we have left?” Nyx asked. The three of them pooled their gil together. They only had a few hundred gil left.

“Ferry tickets are fifty gil each. So that’s one-fifty for the three of us,” Prompto said. They counted it out and set it aside.

“So we’ve got three hundred left for either food, or somewhere to sleep,” Lou said.

“I’ve got some valuables I can sell so we can probably get both,” Prompto said.

“You sure?” Nyx asked.

“Yeah. I brought them for that reason. They’ve got monetary value and aren’t sentimental, so it’s not a big deal.”

“First, I say we should get a proper meal. I don’t know about you two, but I’m tired of cheap coffee and pastries,” Lou said. “And this cafe looks like it’ll do the job quite nicely.”

She picked up the menu and began to peruse it. The sign called the establishment a cafe, but it also offered soups, salads, and some rather fancy looking sandwiches. Nyx and Prompto glanced at each other, before shrugging and picking up a menu.

Lou had never had to eat a sandwich with a knife and fork before, but it was novel and delicious. Prompto packed away a massive salad, and Nyx ordered a steak sandwich, though quite a bit of the steak ended up in Pryna’s belly.

They polished off their meals and took a moment to simply relax. The past several days had been stressful and exhausting. Lou knew she’d hardly slept at all since the first night on the train, and the one night on the boat had been rough for all of them. She was ready to collapse into a bed and sleep.

“Let’s find a motel to crash in until tomorrow,” Prompto suggested. They paid for their meals and left.

Altissia was a sprawling maze. They ended up taking wrong turns into dead ends more than once. They caught a gondola through the lower levels of the city, and passed by a restaurant and bar that looked unassuming and quaint. Lou ducked her head when the dark skinned man at the bar seemed to stare at her until they were out of sight.

The gondola let them off near a set of stairs that led to the Leville. They had no hope of affording such a high class hotel, so they skirted around the stairs to where a few smaller motels had been pointed out to them by the gondola guide.

They piled into a shabby lobby. The tiles had years of dirt mulching on the grout, the lighting was dim and yellowed. The man at the counter seemed clean enough though.

Prompto took initiative and stepped up to the counter.

“Hi, how much is it for a room with two beds?” he asked.

“Three hundred gil for the night,” the man said. Prompto turned to them, and they counted out their gil. They had to dip into what they’d set aside for ferry tickets, but Prompto was confident he could make the money back with some of the things he’d brought.

The room was paid for, paperwork signed, and a key handed over. They slumped up the narrow stairs up to the second floor. The hallway was even dimmer than the lobby, the carpet worn out in some places.

Prompto unlocked the door to their room and pushed it open.

“Well, at least it’s clean,” Lou said. She dropped her backpack on the floor, kicked off her shoes and flopped onto one of the beds.

“Dibs on the shower!” Nyx called as he shut the bathroom door behind him. Lou let her eyes slip shut, ready for a nap to catch up on some sleep.

Prompto shuffled around the room for several minutes.

“Uh, Lou? I’m gonna go sell this stuff. I’ll be back in a bit,” he said. Lou hummed to show she’d heard him. She opened her eyes and turned her head to face him. He had his bag slung over one shoulder, but he seemed oddly twitchy.

“Be careful,” she said.

“Yeah, I will,” he said, a light blush dusted across his cheeks. He glanced at her and gave her a toothy grin that made her heartbeat kick up. She couldn’t help but smile back. He turned and walked out of the room. Lou sighed and pushed herself upright.

She was getting attached to them at an alarming rate. Lou had had crushes before. Had watched boys and girls longingly in equal measure growing up. But Prompto and Nyx were something else. Both attractive in their own ways. Prompto had a bit of boyish charm to him that melted away into something handsome and mature at times. Nyx could have been the dashing hero in an action film, debonair and just a little wild.

Lou slowly pulled her hair free from the braid she kept it in, mulling it over. If she wasn’t misreading the signs, there was definitely interest from the both of them. And she had definitely seen Nyx and Prompto looking at each other when they thought the other wasn’t paying attention.

But, they would all go their separate ways once they were in Insomnia. It was a massive city, and if things went the way they were supposed to, they would end up in different social circles. Would they even get to see each other at that point?

The bathroom door opened and Nyx stepped out in a t-shirt and sweatpants. He watched her while putting his things down on the floor.

“Are you alright?” he asked. Lou nodded and hastily finished with her hair.

“Just lost in thought,” she said. “Prompto went to pawn off some of his things.”

Nyx glanced between the empty bed, and the one Lou already occupied. With only a little hesitation, he sat down next to her.

“What were you thinking about?” he asked.

“We’ve all only really known each other a few days. Not even a full week. And I don’t think I want to stop seeing either of you.”

Lou picked her cuticles nervously. Nyx placed a hand on hers to still the habit. His fingers and palm were roughed and calloused against the softer skin on the back of her hand.

“It’s been a crazy few days. We’ve been through a lot together, it makes sense,” he said. Lou met his eyes and desperately wanted to lean forward and kiss him. Nyx’s free hand came up and carefully tangled in her hair. She gave in and leaned forward. 

Their lips met, and it was nothing more than a gentle press of lips… and it was wonderfully thrilling.

Nyx pulled away, and moved to get up. “We shouldn’t-”

“Wait, please,” Lou grabbed him by the hand. “Just- just stay?”

He looked like he wanted to say no, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He sighed and finally nodded. They crawled onto the bed, and after kicking the suspect duvet down to the floor, they curled up together. Sleep came quickly upon them, the trials of the last several days finally catching up to them.

* * *

Prompto kept a smile plastered on his face. He’d found a pawn shop in the less savory part of town, and was now trying to pawn off his stuff. The only problem was, most of it carried the seal of a Niflheimr noble family. The guy was rightly suspicious. Prompto hadn’t been born into the life of a noble, but well, he’d at least lived it a few years.

“I’ll give you a hundred gil for the lot,” the owner of the pawn shop said. Prompto’s lip twitched.

“You and I both know that all of this is worth so much more than that,” Prompto said. He leaned against the counter in hopes of seeming friendlier.

“One-fifty, and not a gil more. For all I know, this is all stolen. I won’t have imperials dropping on my head for stolen goods,” the proprietor said. 

He did have a good point. None of it was stolen, technically. But Prompto couldn’t prove that. And, well, the asking price was already more than they needed to cover the ferry tickets.

“Make it two hundred and I’ve conveniently forgotten where I misplaced all these wonderful family heirlooms,” Prompto hedged. The proprietor growled.

“Fine!” he finally snapped. “If anyone comes looking, I’m sending them straight to you, blondie.”

“Deal.”

The gil exchanged hands, Prompto collected his slip, and he was out the door. He had no use for old jewelry or fancy silverware, and if things worked out, he would never be back for them.

Prompto climbed the steps up to the gondola station to catch one back to the motel--

He was shoved against a wall shoulder-first. He reached for his gun, but the business-end of his assailant’s pistol was shoved under his chin.

“Hello, cousin,” a voice drawled.

“Loqi! Hey, how’s it going? What uh - what brings you to Altissia?” Prompto asked. 

The gun was pressed harder against the soft flesh under his jaw. “I could ask you the same thing. The head of the family dies, you disappear with multiple heirlooms, and now I find you here in Altissia in the company of a woman and a Lucian? Looking to turn coat, are we?” Loqi asked.

“I’d have to actually be in the military to be a turn coat, wouldn’t I? Not that you’d know anything about that. Has Uldur kicked you out from under his desk?”

The punch to the face was entirely expected.

“Don’t know why you’re so upset, you had to know he wasn’t going to keep you around forever. Especially when you didn’t inherit. He was only interested in your mouth for your money,” Prompto drawled.

Loqi snarled and raised the gun, but Prompto was ready for him. He ducked under Loqi’s wild swing, grabbed his arm and twisted until the gun was dropped. Prompto kicked it away and shoved Loqi up against the wall, and held his face against the rough stone.

“Do remember who your head of house is, cousin. Now, you’re going to return home, and report to whomever sent you after me that you lost my trail. You don’t know where I am, or where I’m going. Then the rest of you can continue on with your little lives. And maybe - maybe - if I’m feeling generous I’ll pick one of you to inherit when I’m gone,” Prompto said. “Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Prompto let him go. He straightened his shirt. “Get lost, Loqi.”

Loqi ran off down the winding street. Prompto sighed. He really hoped this wouldn’t come back to bite him in the ass later.

He returned to the hotel room, and smiled at the sight of Nyx and Lou curled up together. They were both so far out of his league it wasn’t funny, but sometimes, he could let himself hope.

Boots kicked off, Prompto was ready to lie down on the empty bed when there was a quiet shuffling form the other bed.

“Prompto?” Lou was awake.

“Hey, go back to sleep,” he soothed. 

Lou held out an arm to him. “There’s plenty of space in this bed for all of us,” she said. Prompto froze, surprised by the invitation. Lou seemed to misread his hesitation. “Only if you want to.”

Prompto nodded and after ducking into the bathroom to wash his face and quickly brush his teeth, he returned and climbed into bed with them. He cuddled up against Lou and let her wrap an arm around his waist. He wiggled in close and slipped an arm over her hip, just below where Nyx’s arm rested.

Lou gave him a smile before shifting forward and brushing a brief kiss to his lips. 

He blinked in surprise.

“It’s only fair,” she whispered. The meaning of her words sunk in slowly, and he glanced over her shoulder to a still sleeping Nyx. He let out a slow breath. This wasn’t exactly how he thought this trip would go, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. He returned the kiss and they settled down for some much needed rest.


	6. Chapter 6

The Lucian sea was calm, the sky clear, and the wind that whipped through Lou’s hair was refreshing. They knew they still had to pass through security and customs when they arrived in Lucis, but Nyx was relaxed about it. He clearly expected it all to go well.

The journey to Galdin wasn’t a long one, thankfully, and they were soon passing by Angelgard Island. Lou stared at the strange rock formation that made up the island’s surface. There was a foreboding aura there, something ancient and almost primal. It reminded her of Ghorovas and the Glacian’s body. But there was also a lingering darkness. It was oppressive with a deep sorrow that clung to the rocks and oozed down the slopes into the sea. Lou turned away, unable to look at it any longer.

“Look! There’s Galdin Quay!” Prompto said, oblivious to her discomfort. She looked to where he was pointing and spotted the dock the ferry would be pulling into. They were so close to reaching Lucis.

They watched the dock draw closer as the ferry pulled in. The aroma of cooked seafood from the resort restaurant wafted along the breeze towards the sea. It was too bad they were out of money. With only a handful of gil left between them, eating at such a high class restaurant certainly wasn’t possible. 

Activity on the dock increased the closer they got. Soon the mooring ropes were tossed onto the dock, and the ferry was pulled in. A few minutes later, the ramp was lowered and they were allowed to disembark.

“Okay, here’s your visas. And for the love of Ramuh, don’t lose them otherwise they’ll put you on the ferry and send you back to Altissia,” Nyx said as he handed out the forged papers he’d been carrying. He claimed that they would work on Lucian soil so long he was with them. Lou could tell that Prompto was worried anyway by the way he was fidgeting. Quite a number of things could go wrong, and Lou did her best not to think too hard about it.

The trio shouldered their bags and stepped off the ferry and onto the dock. A worker ushered them down the dock to the gate where their papers would be checked. They lined up and waited in tense silence. 

The line slowly processed, with nearly everyone getting through without any issue. One man caused a ruckus when he tried to come in with a bag of ulwaat berries hidden in his luggage. He was escorted back to the ferry and made to wait there.

Then, it was finally their turn.

“Passports and visas please,” the woman at the gate requested. They each handed over their documents. She passively scanned over Lou and Prompto’s before pausing at the sight of Nyx’s. “Glaive Ulric?”

“Returning on official assignment from the crown,” Nyx answered easily. The woman squinted at Lou and Prompto before picking up a stamp and stamping each of their passports.

“Welcome home, sir glaive, and welcome to Lucis,” she said. Nyx gave her his most dashing smile and they stepped through the gate.

They were officially in Lucis.

“Now what?” Lou asked as they cut through the restaurant and walked down the pier to the little boardwalk.

“Now, I need to get in contact with the Citadel, and secure us a ride the rest of the way there,” Nyx said. “We certainly don’t have the money for a rental.”

They left the boardwalk and wound up in the parking lot where Nyx headed for a nearby phone booth. While he busied himself punching numbers in, Lou took in her surroundings. It was so warm, even with the strong breeze coming off the water. If she was wearing any of the clothes she’d brought with her from Gralea, she would have been uncomfortably hot.

“It doesn’t feel real,” she mumbled.

“I know! I’ve been trying to find a way to get out of Niflheim for so long, I didn’t think I ever would,” Prompto said.

“We still have the last leg of the trip,” Lou reminded him. “And, if we want to keep up with the plan, I still have to find a way to meet Prince Ravus.”

The thought made her even more nervous now than ever. Before, when they were still in Imperial territory, even in Altissia, it felt like a far off thing. Having an audience with royalty seemed unlikely. But they were in Lucis now. According to Nyx, they were only a few hours from Insomnia. They were so close to their goal, and the reality of it was just setting in.

Prompto reached over and laced their fingers together.

“It’ll be okay. If something happens, and this whole plan falls apart, I’ll stick with you,” he said. He gave her a winning smile that eased her anxiety.

“Okay.”

Pryna whined to get their attention.

“And I know I’ll always have you, Pryna,” Lou said. She reached down to ruffle the fur between Pryna’s ears. She straightened up and leaned her head against Prompto’s shoulder while they waited.

Nyx had stopped frantically pressing buttons on the payphone and was now speaking furiously into the receiver. He paced away from it, only to be pulled up short by the chord. He scrubbed a hand through his hair, a finger got caught on one of his braids. After several long minutes he finally hung up and returned to them.

“Okay, so they’re sending someone to verify my identity, and when I pass, then they’ll drive us all to Insomnia,” Nyx said.

“Verify? Uh, why?” Prompto asked.

“I was considered MIA for pretty much the entire time I was in Niflheim. I couldn’t contact anyone, and no one could reach me. They gotta make sure I’m not an imposter who stole my credentials to enter the country, let alone the Citadel,” Nyx said.

“Why not just make them invalid so if someone tries to use them, it’s flagged as suspicious?” Prompto asked. Nyx shrugged.

“I don’t know. I’m not the one in charge of that sort of thing,” he said. “In any case, we’ll be fine. They’re gonna send another Glaive, someone who knew me really well. I promise you, we’ll be in Insomnia by the end of the night.”

“If you say so. But just so you know, we don’t have much money left if we have to spend the night down here,” Lou pointed out.

“Not even for the caravan?” Nyx asked.

“Nope.”

“Well it’s a good thing there’s a haven further down the beach then. Those things are still working fine, even though there hasn’t been an active Oracle for the last twelve years,” Nyx said. “We won’t have any shelter though, so we’re fucked if it rains.”

Luckily, they didn’t have to sleep at the haven. A black car with tinted windows and the royal seal on the license plate pulled into the parking lot a few hours later.

A woman in black leather and a short cape exited the passenger side while a man dressed in a heavy looking black overcoat got up from the driver’s side. Nyx grinned and stepped forward, his arms outstretched.

“Crowe! Libs! How are my favorite brother and sister doing?” he asked jovially. 

The man scowled, and before anyone could stop him, raised his fist and punched Nyx in the face. Nyx staggered back in shock while the man shook out his fist.

“Nyx!” Prompto yelled. He pushed Nyx behind him, and Lou reached out to support the dazed man.

“Are you alright?” she asked. Nyx only grunted while he rubbed at his undoubtedly sore jaw.

“‘M fine, princess,” he finally mumbled.

“What the hell was that for?” Prompto demanded.

“This asshole has been missing for five months. We had no way of knowing if he was alive. The captain was ready to declare him lost. We had to convince him to wait it out. We were sure he wasn’t dead. But here he is, calling us from a payphone for a pickup.”

“Love ya too, Libs,” Nyx gently shrugged Lou’s hands off. “Satisfied I’m the real me?” 

The two new arrivals looked at each other, and the woman shrugged.

“Good enough for me,” she said. “Good to have you back, Hero.” She hugged Nyx tightly.

“Good to finally be out of enemy territory,” Nyx said. The other man begrudgingly accepted a hug as well.

“So who’re these two?” the woman asked.

“Right, Crowe, Libertus, this is Prompto, and the lovely Lady Lunafreya,” Nyx said. He swept an arm out as he gestured to Lou. She did not miss the grimace Crowe and Libertus exchanged. Neither did Nyx. “What?”

“Prince Ravus made it official. He isn’t, uh, interviewing anyone anymore,” Crowe said.

“You can’t be serious,” Nyx said. “Do you have any idea what we went through just to get here? And now you’re telling me we wasted our time?”

“Uh, well…”

“We survived a daemon infested train,” Nyx ranted. “Squatted in an empty manor, ate shit food, and survived a storm at sea.”

“Nyx, there’s nothing we can do. We can’t force Prince Ravus to see me,” Lou said. She placed a placating hand on his arm.

“The hells we can’t. Get in the car, princess, we’re going to Insomnia,” Nyx said. He placed his hand against her back and gently steered her towards the car.

“Uh, we won’t, like, get deported back to Niflheim, will we?” Prompto asked as Libertus started the car. Crowe glanced back at them from the front passenger seat.

“Probably not. Anyone who can make it out of Niflheim and into Insomnia with a Glaive hasn’t. You might get extradited if it turns out you’re wanted in the Empire, though,” she said.

“Okay, cool, good to know,” Prompto said. He seemed to calm down after that. Lou stared out the window at the passing Lucian countryside.

“It looks, dustier, than I imagined,” she said.

“Leide is all desert. If we were heading further west, we’d run into wetlands, closer to the Disc of Cauthess,” Nyx said.

“I’d like to see it all, some day,” Lou said.

“Maybe we will,” Nyx said. She smiled at him and took his hand. Nyx reached over and did the same with Prompto. She knew that no matter what happened, they’d all stick together.

After a couple hours, they passed the towering monolith of Longwythe Peak. Lou blinked. Something about it seemed off. But she wasn’t sure what.

“That mountain, has it always looked that way?” she asked.

“There’s all sorts of legends and rumors. Local geologists don’t even know how it formed. There isn’t enough tectonic plate shifting for anything that tall,” Libertus said from the driver seat. Lou hummed. It was curious, but now was not the time for her to think about it too long.

They stopped for gas in Hammerhead where Crowe made small talk with a gorgeous blonde woman. Prompto and Lou definitely stared a bit longer than was appropriate.

“Crowe still hasn’t asked Cindy out?” Nyx asked. Libertus let out a loud laugh.

“‘Course not. They’re gonna dance around each other forever. Look at ‘em,” he said. Cindy and Crowe were utterly enamored with one another. The way they leaned into each other, their eyes bright and attentive while they talked. The shy little smile Cindy gave Crowe.

There was a clunk as the handle on the gas pump unlocked. Libertus put it back and closed up the gasket.

“Crowe, let’s go!” he called. Lou stretched on last time before climbing back into the car. Crowe was the last one in, her face flushed, and fighting a smile.

“What?” she asked. Libertus just shook his head and started the car. They drove away from Hammerhead in silence. They weren’t too far from the checkpoint that led to Insomnia, and Lou could feel butterflies churning in her stomach. Crowe turned on the radio once they were close enough to get crown city broadcasts. Music new and foreign to Lou came through the speakers.

Coming across Lucian music in Gralea was nearly impossible. Most music and video streaming sites were either locked or strictly monitored, and a VPN service was never something she could spare the money for. Most of the music within the Empire was deeply nationalistic, regardless of genre. To hear blatantly anti-establishment lyrics over the radio was a new experience. 

The checkpoint came into view and they fell into line with several other cars. It took a while, but they finally came to the turnstyle. Libertus handed paperwork and identification over to the officer. It was glanced over, handed back, and the barrier was lifted.

The drive across the sound was breathtaking, and the high looming walls of the city were imposing. As was the crystalline magical shield draped over it all. They crossed the bridge and entered the final tunnel that would bring them into the city. The powerful magic of the royal family washed over her, and Lou couldn’t help the shiver that ran over her at it’s touch.

They cleared the tunnel and they were greeted by glittering skyscrapers and busy streets.

“Welcome to Insomnia, Princess,” Nyx said.

Insomnia was beyond everything she had ever imagined. While Gralea had had towering skyscrapers, the endless chill and overcast skies had cast a veil of gloom over the city. The suppression they all faced from imperial forces had often kept their mouths shut. There was little laughter in Gralea. But Insomnia felt different. Insulated from the outside world, but with a greater sense of hope and cheer.

“So, what’s the plan?” Prompto asked. “If Prince Ravus isn’t seeing anyone, what do we do?”

“I need to report that I’m not dead, firstly. Then find the both of you somewhere to stay, for now. If we’re lucky, I might be able to get you an audience with Scientia,” Nyx said.

“Scientia?”

“He’s the guy you gotta get past to meet Prince Ravus. He’s Prince Noctis’ aide. He looks like a pencil pusher, but he’s got good instincts and can smell a lie a mile away. Almost no one has ever actually gotten past him to see Prince Ravus.”

“Oh, great,” Lou scoffed.

“Hey, we know you’re the real deal. You’ll do just fine,” Prompto said. He was doing his best to sound reassuring, but doubt clouded Lou’s heart. They all knew the truth. It was written in the magic that flowed through her. But she’d already spent half her life not knowing where she had come from. That fear would always be there.

The drive through the city was a slow one, during peak rush hour traffic. It gave Lou time to calm and observe the new environment.

“We’re coming up on the Citadel. We’ll have to go through public security since we’re returning with passengers,” Libertus said.

They turned onto one of the exit ramps and came out a couple of blocks away from the city center, where the Citadel towered over all.

They came to a gate and rolled to a stop where identification was checked and they were waved through. Libertus drove into a massive parking garage and parked.

They all climbed out of the car and stretched. The trunk popped open and Nyx shouldered his gear.

“Libs, Crowe, I’m gonna go report to the captain. Can you escort Prompto and Lady Lunafreya until I’m done?” he asked. Libertus grunted.

“Sure thing. I think we can keep them entertained for a while,” Crowe said. There was a mischievous glint in her eye as she said that made Nyx pause.

“No funny business, Crowe.” She didn’t even bother to look contrite. Nyx shook his head. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

* * *

Entertainment turned out to be every embarrassing story about Nyx Crowe could remember. Which turned out to be a lot. Prompto was in stitches, and Lou wasn’t much better.

Crowe was in the middle describing the time Nyx had nearly gotten Prince Noctis stuck up the training room rafters during warp training when he returned.

“I said no funny business, Crowe.”

“Too bad. They’re loving it.”

Lou was leaning against Prompto for support while they tried to catch their breath.

“So… what’s the plan?” Prompto asked.

“It’s too late for a meeting with Scientia tonight. We’ll get you two set up in a hotel. It took some doing, but he agreed to a meeting with Lunafreya tomorrow at two,” Nyx said.

“Well, I suppose the sooner we get this over with, the better,” Lou stood. “So, where are we staying?”

“My place is probably a mess of dust, since it's been empty. And definitely not enough space for three. I can set you guys up at a modest hotel for the night at least.”

“Sounds good,” Prompto said. He hopped up out of his chair.

“Thanks for keeping an eye on them, Crowe. I’m gonna get them settled then get some rest in my own bed.”

* * *

They stopped to get dinner before heading for the hotel where Nyx had booked their room. But as he tried to leave them for the evening, Prompto’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“Stay.”

“That’s -”

“You said yourself that your apartment will be a mess. Hardly good conditions for proper rest. Stay with us,” Lou urged. Nyx nodded and kicked his boots off.

Just like in Altissia, despite the two beds, they all curled up together in one. The stress of the journey caught up to Prompto and Nyx, but Lou found herself laying awake in the dark room.

This could very well be the last time they’d get to do this. If their plan succeeded tomorrow, then there was a chance they’d all be separated. She didn’t want that. She’d left Gralea in search of her past, and the family she knew had to be out there. She had never expected to find it with these two men.

The idea of failing crossed her mind, o. f intentionally messing up the interview. But she quickly dismissed it. It wouldn’t be fair to all their efforts to do that.

“Lunafreya?” Nyx’s soft, sleep heavy voice broke through her thoughts. “Something wrong?”

“Just… thinking about tomorrow. Things will be different.”

“Yeah, they will. We shouldn’t let that change what we’ve become to each other,” Nyx said. He shifted an arm to push some of her hair away from her face. Lou pressed close to his warm touch. She felt Prompto’s arm tighten from around her waist.

“No matter what, we’ll find some way of sticking together,” Prompto murmured. “You guys are stuck with me now.”

“I can think of worse things, blondie,” Nyx said. Prompto hummed, then Lou felt the press of his lips against the back of her neck.

“No matter what happens tomorrow, we’ll figure it out,” Prompto said.

“Yeah, we will.”

Finally, Lou let herself drift off to the sound of them both breathing deeply on either side of her.


	7. Chapter 7

Lou put on her dress and calmly styled her hair in a braided twist with a hair pin Nyx had given her. It was made of smooth, dark wood and decorated with beads that looked similar to the ones braided into his own hair. She felt it was significant, but she didn’t dare ask about it now.

Her nerves got the better of her during breakfast; she barely managed a slice of toast and an egg. Prompto got her to at least finish her coffee. It all sat heavy in her stomach, despite the fact that there was still hours until the meeting.

When it was nearly time, Nyx drove them all back to the Citadel, and they got through security. Nyx then led them all the way up to Scientia’s office. He glanced at his watch.

“Right on time. Okay, Lunafreya, are you ready?” he asked. Lou took a deep breath.

“N-no. Not really,” she said.

“We believe in you. You’ve got this.”

Nyx looked up and down the hall before leaning forward to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Prompto stepped up and did the same thing. Her cheeks were a little flushed, but they’d succeeded in helping her forget about her nerves. Nyx’s watch beeped the hour.

“Time to go,” Prompto said. Nyx knocked on the door and pushed it open for her. He inclined his head to her as she took one last steadying breath and stepped inside. The door shut behind her.

Lou was now alone with the tall and trim man. He looked her over behind his glasses.

“Good afternoon,” she said softly. He bowed to her.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Highness. My name is Ignis Scientia, and you may call me Ignis. Please, have a seat. Would you care for tea?” he asked.

“A white peony, if you have it, please,” Lou said as she sat. Ignis raised an eyebrow, but stepped towards a small cubby against one wall of his office where an electric kettle was set up.

“Tell me, Lady Lunafreya, what were your parents’ names?” he asked her as he made their tea. 

Lou answered without hesitation. “My mother was Sylva Via Fleuret, and my father was Albus Nox.”

Ignis hummed softly.

“How do you take your tea?” he asked.

“Just with a twist of lemon,” she said. A moment later he turned and presented her with the cup. She took a moment to breath in its aroma before taking a sip.

Once she’d taken that first sip, Ignis sat on the other side of his desk. His gaze was unnervingly sharp, but she didn’t shy away from looking him in the eye. The questions continued. Everything Prompto had prepped her on was asked, and she answered with ease.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, if this question is difficult for you. During the siege of Fenestala Manor, how did you escape?” he asked. Lou sucked in a breath.

“I was separated from my guard. There was so much happening. I tried to hide, but the soldiers were searching for me,” Lou paused. The memories of that night had always been hazy and distant. The only clarity she’d ever had was the sight of that dark haired boy being pulled away from the flames.

“Then there was a boy. I think he was one of the staff. He dragged me into a secret passageway. No one noticed me escaping through a small door near the chocobo stables. I think I tried to get to the train station. Or I did. I’m… not certain. I know I was struck in the head. I woke up in a medical center in Ghorovas with very little memory of how it happened. It took a very long time for the memories to return.”

Ignis regarded her for a long moment. He shifted in his seat and opened his mouth to speak when the door slammed open.

“Ignis!”

“Prince Noctis, is something the matter?”

Lou turned to see what the fuss was, and made eye contact with a wild-eyed Prince Noctis. His face had lost it’s baby fat, and he stood with a confidence and surety she hadn’t seen before. But his eyes were the same as she’d remembered.

“Luna?” he whispered. There was a bark, and a black dog trotted into the office, followed by a very excited Pryna.

“Pryna? What are you doing here?” Lou asked. Pryna danced around her legs, and was soon joined by the black dog. Lou knelt down and reached out to him. He held very still until her hand came to rest on his head, right between his ears. “Umbra?”

“Luna? Is that really you?” Prince Noctis asked. He took a step forward.

“Yes, yes it’s me,” Lou said. She stood back up and was shocked when he very abruptly dragged her into a hug.

“Thank the Six you’re alive! I knew you were! I just knew it!” he said. Lou slowly brought her arms up to hug back.

“Well, that answers my final question,” Ignis finally said. Prince Noctis let her go and turned to his aide.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Lady Lunafreya correctly answered all of my questions. I was preparing to call you and have you act as the final test. If you did not recognize each other, then I would have sent her away.”

“Well, it’s a good thing Umbra got all excited and dragged me all the way across the Citadel. It’s like he knew you were here. And with Pryna, too.”

Nyx and Prompto peaked around the still open doorway, watching everything unfold.

“Who brought you here? Where have you been? What happened?” Prince Noctis asked all in quick succession. 

“Nyx did. I’ve been in Niflheim. But, oh this is so much,” Lou finally said. Prince Noctis turned to look at the pair in the doorway.

“Get in here, Ulric,” he ordered. Nyx stepped into the room, and pulled Prompto in by the hand. “And who’s this?”

“Prompto Argentum, Your Highness,” Prompto said. He fiddled with his visitor badge nervously.

“So, when are you going to tell Prince Ravus?” Nyx asked. Ignis frowned.

“He does not wish to see anyone, I’m afraid,” he finally said.

“Yeah, I heard. But this is his sister. Really, truly, her. Surely he’d make an exception,” Nyx insisted.

“He was quite insistent that there would be no more interviews,” Ignis said.

“Come on, Ignis. What if we just… spring it on him?” Prince Noctis suggested. “It’s really her. If I can recognize her with one look, even he can too.”

Ignis sighed. “All right, we’ll try it. Would you like to do this now, or later?”

“I think if I waited, I would lose my nerve,” Lou said.

“Very well. Prince Ravus spends his afternoons in the gardens, come along.”

They trailed after Ignis, the two dogs dancing around everyone’s legs. Prince Noctis offered his arm to Lou, and she carefully took it. She glanced back at Nyx and Prompto who simply urged her forward. She smiled back when she saw that they’d surreptitiously hooked their pinkies together. The Prince was excited to have her with them.

“I always knew you were out there. What happened?” he asked.

“During my escape, I received a head injury. That, I don’t remember how. I awoke in a hospital in Ghorovas, with no memory of who I was. No family could be located, I was placed in an orphanage there. Most of my memories returned over time. But I couldn’t tell anyone. It wasn’t safe,” Lou said. A lie interspersed with just a bit of truth. The easiest way to make sure she wasn’t found out.

“Most?” Prince Noctis asked.

“I don’t remember the day of the siege well. I only see flashes in nightmares, or triggered by ordinary events.”

The Prince winced, no doubt realizing what she meant by that. They walked on in further silence through the halls of the Citadel. Lou found herself taking in as much of her surroundings as possible. The palace housing the kings of Lucis for generations truly was a sight to behold.

Ignis led them into an elevator, and they rose several floors. They exited and walked along another hallway until they came to a set of glass doors propped open. A strong breeze blew down the corridor.

“A terrace?” Lou asked.

“A balcony garden. Ravus likes it up here. He says it reminds him of home,” Prince Noctis said. They stepped into the garden and Lou gasped. Sylleblossoms bloomed across the garden, their petals danced in the wind, and their sweet scent perfumed the air around them. It really did look like the fields near Fenestala Manor on a much smaller scale. 

Then she spotted him. Prince Ravus sat on a bench, a book in hand, and a drink by his side. He was dressed down, in a buttoned shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His long pale hair was pulled into a short tail at the back of his head.

“Wait here a moment,” Ignis said. He stepped forward to approach the other prince and spoke to him. Ignis gestured her forward with a hand. Lou released her grip on Prince Noctis and approached slowly.

She knew the moment Prince Ravus spotted her. He stood abruptly, the book on his hand fell to the stones with a thump. For a moment, he looked deeply enraged, his lips pulling back into a snarl. He froze. His face relaxed. He took two steps forward.

“Lunafreya?”

“Ravus.”

This was most definitely the young man she remembered from all those years ago. He had grown even taller, his shoulders broader, his face thinner. But there was no doubting this was the other boy she’d been haunted by in her nightmares. Lou was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace, her face pressed to his chest. She hugged him back. Everything about him was so familiar. She took a deep breath. The aftershave was different, but everything else about him she knew. Deep down, the memory of it was still there. She clutched the back of his shirt, not ready to let go.

“Lunafreya, let me see you,” he said quietly. He pulled away and Lou reluctantly let go. He carefully placed his hands against her jaw and tilted her face up. She could see his eyes moving as he took in every detail of her face that he could. “Prince Noctis was right not to give up hope.”

He hugged her again, even tighter than before, as if afraid she’d slip from his grip. He was shaking.

“I’m finally here, and that’s what matters,” Lou said.

“The girl and the steward are reunited once more. The order of the world shall be restored.”

Everyone jumped as a chill fell over them, frosting the garden and making them all shiver. Ravus gently nudged Lou behind him as Gentiana manifested before them.

“Gentiana?” Lou asked. She stepped forward, ignoring the cold that was quickly seeping into her bones.

“The Oracle shall take up her mantle,” Gentiana said. Lou looked back at the others for a moment. She reached out with one hand, and the trident fell into her grip like a familiar weight.

“I- yes. I will,” Lou said. Gentiana gifted her with a gentle smile before pressing her lips to Lou’s forehead.

“The Oracle has been restored to Eos, so shall the ancestral land of Tenebrae.”

In a blink, she was gone. The air warmed around them, and the frost melted away.

“What was that?”

“Gentiana’s watched over me for years, waiting for me to remember. I was safer not knowing who I was. Even in Gralea, I went unnoticed. Until Prompto and Nyx found me.”

“She was watching over you, even when you didn’t know,” Noct said. “And you had Pryna, too.”

“Yes, Pryna found me only a few days after I moved to Gralea,” Lou said.

“You must tell me all I have missed, dear sister,” Ravus said. He led her back to the bench he sat on. They sat together, Pryna and Umbra cuddled up at their feet.

“Come, Noct, let’s leave them to their privacy,” Ignis said. He herded the others out of the garden to leave them in peace.


	8. Chapter 8

Nyx fiddled with the cuffs of his uniform coat. He hadn’t realized there was a reward for actually finding Princess Lunafreya, so he’d been entirely unprepared to receive a medal of all things. Nyx had gotten commendations for his service before, but they were small things, notes on his personnel file more than anything else. And at least he wasn’t alone: Prompto was receiving one too.

Here he stood in front of Ravus and Lunafreya as the simple ceremony began. Thankfully, it was short.

“The Silver Star of Tenebrae is gifted to any civilian, or an officer in service to another nation for exemplary service to the crown. You have reunited the fractured House of Fleuret. For that, we honor you.”

Lou carefully pinned the medal to their jackets, just over their hearts. Prompto was somewhat stunned by its presence. Nyx was more amused; it was the first medal he’d received, and it wasn’t in service of Lucis. The ceremony ended and Lou broke composure to give each of them a short hug.

Ravus had proven to be protective and frequently cast a scrutinizing gaze over the three of them whenever they forgot themselves and stood too close together. Lou would smile and remind him that while she had been born a princess, she had spent the latter half of her life living as a commoner. He’d scoff, but say nothing. They were still walking on eggshells as they settled into an unfamiliar dynamic.

When talk of assigning a guard to Lou, she had immediately insisted it be Nyx. He’d simply smiled and agreed. He wanted to stay close, rather than going back onto the Glaive roster.

But most confusing was Prompto. Despite still having relatively free access to Lou as her “travel companion”, he disappeared after the medal ceremony.

“He checked out of the hotel that Prince Ravus was paying for,” Nyx reported. Lou frowned. The sudden distance hurt.

“I don’t understand. We promised we wouldn’t let anything change,” Lou said. “Why would he do this to us?”

Nyx reached across the desk she sat at and took her hand. It was the most he would allow himself while on duty.

“I’m sure he has his reason,” Nyx said. 

Their new life continued. Lou had to learn about the duties of the Oracle. Gentiana came and went as she pleased, heedless of the Citadel’s security protocols. She was patient with Lou, whose education had gone from intense and focused on her roles as Crown Princess and Oracle to the tightly controlled, poorly funded, propaganda-filled curriculum of the Empire’s public school system. Needless to say, there were more than a few gaps that needed to be filled. Some things she needed to re-learn entirely. Lou returned to the treatise she was meant to be reading and taking notes on, and Nyx returned to his post by the door.

* * *

Prompto turned the medal over in his hand. Anxiety churned in his stomach as light glinted off the platinum surface. He didn’t deserve it. He hadn’t done this to reunite a family. He’d had his own entirely selfish reasons for this scheme. He hadn’t been honest with Nyx and Lou at all. 

He turned the reward money down.. It shouldn’t go to a liar and a thief like him.

The rumor of Princess Lunafreya had given him the chance he’d needed to escape Gralea. The fact that the waitress at his favorite cheap diner had turned out to actually be Princess Lunafreya was still a shock. But the magic they’d witnessed on the train out of Gralea, and inside Fenestala Manor couldn’t be ignored or denied.

Suddenly falling in love had not been part of the plan. But it had only been a week. Lou and Nyx still had each other. They’d be fine. He’d disappear into Insomnia’s crowds and they’d move on without him. Prompto was nothing and nobody by comparison. He had no reason to stand by their sides as an equal.

“Sorry guys,” he muttered as he tucked the medal away in its box and shoved it deep into his backpack. He still had plenty of money left over from pawning family heirlooms that he could find a cheap, shitty apartment to start his new life in. He was out from under the thumb of the family that had begrudgingly taken him in, and free to live his life how he wanted.

Prompto checked out of the hotel room he’d been provided at the Via Caelum. It was too big and too ostentatious for his tastes. He’d rather stay somewhere cheap and rundown, even if he was paying for it himself. Once he left the hotel, it was incredibly easy to disappear into the busy city. 

It was better this way. He didn’t need to be credited for finding Lou. All that glory could go to Nyx, once she was announced to the world. And there was less chance someone from the Empire would notice him.

* * *

Lou wasn’t sure she liked the idea of a gala of all things. From the sounds of it, it was a lot of pressure. But there really was no other way to present a royal to the world. Even Prince Noctis dealt with one on his eighteenth birthday.

“Must we?” she asked Ravus. He sat, reading while she was fitted for a proper gown fitting a royal gala.

“Yes, we must. It is important that the world knows the Oracle lives,” Ravus said. He glanced up from his book long enough to level her with a look. “Or would you rather stand on the steps of the Citadel behind a podium, surrounded by the press and answer their burning, invasive questions?”

Lou huffed a long sigh.

“Fine. A gala.” Ravus’ satisfied little smirk at getting his way annoyed her. “But you’ll be attending as well, won’t you? You are my brother after all. Prince Ravus, steward of the Tenebraean throne.”

His smile disappeared at the realization. Lou didn’t even try to stifle her laugh.

“Good, if I have to deal with this, then so do you,” she said triumphantly.

“Your decorum is appalling,” Ravus said as he turned a page in his book.

“It’s only you, me, and the very professional Miss Rose here. I don’t need to have decorum right now,” Lou said. Ravus only made a disapproving noise in response.

“Well, my lady, how does this look?” Rose asked. Lou turned from her place on the short stool to face the mirrors. Lou had never worn anything so fine in years. She certainly looked like a proper princess.

“Does it have to be white? I feel like I’m trying on wedding dresses, and I’m not ready to be married,” Luna said.

“White is traditional for the Oracle,” Ravus answered. “If you truly wish to wear a different color, it can be silver. I recall Mother allowed you to also wear navy on occasion.”

“Then, silver and navy. I won’t wear white until the Anointing.”

“Of course, my lady. What are your thoughts on the cut of the gown?” Rose asked.

It was gorgeous. The bodice, collar and sleeves were intricately beaded in silver and gold to look like butterflies and flowers. From the elbow down, the sleeves were a long train of tulle, split so that her hands were free. The bodice and skirt were separated by a belt of silver ribbon tied in a neat little bow. Like the lower sleeves, the skirt was made up of layers of flowing tulle. Heels would definitely be a necessity with the length of the skirt.

“The cut of the bodice is too low,” Ravus said. “It is not suitable for the Oracle.”

Lou frowned. What did his opinion matter? He wouldn’t be wearing the gown. If she was going to have to parade before the Lucian nobility, she would wear what she wanted. Lou turned to Rose and smiled. “I quite like it.”

“It’s not traditional-”

“I’m a modern woman living in modern times. And besides, I am quite,” Lou performed an experimental shimmy, “ _ secure _ in this bodice.” Ravus coughed behind her. “Keep the cut as it is, please, Miss Rose. In navy and silver.”

“An excellent choice, my lady. It will be ready for a final fitting by next Friday,” Rose said.

Ravus was chased out of the room so that the gown could be removed. Free from the gown with Rose’s assistance, Lou hopped off the stool and tugged her favorite pair of denims back on.

“I appreciate your patience so much. I’ve never worn anything so fine as an adult. Waitressing put food on my table, but I only ever had to wear black denims and a clean shirt,” Lou said. “I suppose I should practice wearing heels as well.”

“It is no problem at all, my lady. It is an honor to serve you,” Rose said. “If i may suggest for the shoes, something close-toed, round toes - not pointed - and some kind of strap either over the top of your foot, or around the ankle.”

Lou let out a relieved laugh. “Thank you.”

Rose and her assistant bowed out of the room once Lou was fully dressed. Ravus returned, though he looked a bit calmer than he had previously.

“I understand your desire to retain some of your independence, Lunafreya, but you must understand the position you are now in,” he began. “Your position as Oracle, and Crown Princess of Tenebrae comes with sacrifices. The life you’ve known is gone now.”

“I knew that the day we left Gralea. But this is who I’ve grown up to be, Ravus. I’m no longer the girl you remember from your childhood. Ghorovas and Gralea were not kind places to grow up in. Nevermind my being an amnesiac. I had to lose my accent quickly to avoid awkward questions. I know that I am not what people expect from a princess, or the Oracle, I will be unconventional. The world will have to accept that.”

That seemed to take the wind out of Ravus’ sails. His shoulders sagged into a slight slouch for him. He never had anything less than perfect posture. “Very well then. I will not bring it up again,” he said. “Excuse me.”

Then he was gone, down the corridor.

This was the closest they had gotten to a disagreement since she’d arrived. She’d hope for a feeling of satisfaction, but only felt a weight in her stomach. She wasn’t a sheltered, perfectly poised princess. That girl died twelve years ago. She would accept some of the traditions of her restored station, but she was still a modern woman. That, she would not compromise on.

Though sometimes, she still thought about the idea of running off with Nyx and Prompto and just being together. She shook her head and pushed the thought aside. No, they’d all made their choices, and this was it for them.


	9. Chapter 9

The gala had finally come. Lou’s dress was ready, and she’d been sitting in a chair having her hair and makeup done for far too long. She hadn’t even set foot inside the hall yet, and she was ready to kick off her heels and simply relax.

Nyx entered, dressed in full uniform. He looked unfairly handsome. He smiled at her.

“You are looking simply divine,” he said. Lou stepped towards him. He’d actually shaved for once, she noticed.

“And you scrub up quite nicely,” she said. Nyx reached out, as if to touch her, but dropped his hand at the last moment.

“Look at you. You sound more like royalty every day.”

“I’m still me,” Lou protested.

“Yeah, yeah you are.”

There was a knock on the door, and Crowe stuck her head through the doorway.

“We gotta go, unless you want Her Highness to be late,” she said. Nyx chuckled.

“Well, we wouldn’t want that,” Nyx said. “Come along, Princess, your moment awaits.” Lou laughed and stepped out of her room.

Nyx and Crowe flanked her as they headed for the hall where everyone was already gathered and waiting. They came to the closed doors, but Lou could hear the chatter of the crowd inside.

“Ready?” Nyx asked. Lou took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

“As I’ll ever be,” she said. 

Nyx nodded to the guards at the door, who placed their hands on the handles to pull them open. The heraldry played as the pair passed through the entrance. Lou held her head high as she was announced. Then, she stepped forward.

The Lucian nobility gawked at her as she walked across the hall to the dais where her brother stood beside King Regis and Prince Noctis. She could hear them whispering over the sound of her footsteps and pounding heartbeat. Ravus took a step off the dias and reached a hand out for her. He was dressed in a fine suit, and his hair was neatly combed and tied back.

Lou placed her hand in his and stepped up onto the dais. She turned to face the crowd and smiled serenely as she’d been taught to. She looked through the crowd to try and spot Prompto, but she couldn’t see his bright blonde hair among a sea of brunettes. Her smile nearly dropped at the realization that he likely wasn’t there, even though they’d specifically invited him.

She’d already missed part of Ravus’ speech, but the audience’s polite applause drew her attention once more.

“And her return would not have been possible without the efforts of His Majesty’s Kingsglaive. Most notably, Sir Ulric, who escorted her home,” Ravus said. Nyx awkwardly smiled and waved from his post at the door when everyone turned to look at him. Ravus continued to speak again, and Nyx returned to attention.

Lou managed to catch his eye with a silent question. He returned her gaze with a minute shake of his head. Prompto had not been anywhere on the Citadel grounds for over a week. Lou fought back a sigh. She returned her attention to Ravus just in time for him to allow press questions. 

Several reporters jostled for her attention as Ravus gestured for one to speak.

“Where have you been all this time?” they asked. Lou had rehearsed her answers carefully, and she felt ready to handle the inquisition.

“I’ve been in Gralea these last twelve years,” Lou said.

“Why only come to Insomnia now?” another asked.

“One does not simply leave imperial territory without the correct papers. Without the right documentation, there would be no way to leave, or even enter Lucis.”

“Were you in hiding? Who took you in?”

“In Gralea, nearly everyone has fair hair. Hiding was not difficult once my accent faded,” Lou answered.

The questions went on and on, until Ravus called an end to them. The press was ushered from the hall, and then the nobility presented itself to her. There were far too many names and faces to remember, and Lou prayed there would be a cheat sheet she could use later. She definitely was not going to remember any of these people.

The long, seemingly endless train of couples and families trailed off, until finally, a single man in a long dark coat remained. He was dressed in heavy layers and a hat. He swept into an exaggerated bow, the odd decorative wing on his left arm swung out in a faceful arc, his hat coming off to reveal dark red hair. Lou did not miss how everyone else on the dais tensed. Especially Ravus and King Regis.

“Greetings, Your Highness, on behalf of the Niflheim Empire, I am Chancellor Ardyn Izunia. We are ever so glad to hear of your continued survival.” Despite the genial greeting, there wasn’t an ounce of warmth in his voice.

“Well met, Chancellor,” Lou responded. Everything about this man felt slimy, giving the distinct impression he could not be trusted. But luckily, even he was subject to social niceties and was forced to speak with the king at length, which gave Lou time to inconspicuously slip away.

Lou moved through the room, speaking to those who were brave enough to approach. It took a while, but she eventually made it to Nyx’s post. She sidled up to Nyx with a flute of champagne in one hand and a tiny Tenebraean tart in the other. She didn’t know who baked it, but it tasted like her childhood.

“Your Highness,” Nyx greeted. His head barely turned to face her.

“Still nothing on Prompto?” she asked.

“Nothing. The guards reported that he hasn’t used his security pass recently,” Nyx said. He was trying so hard to sound professional, given the setting, but even Lou could hear the disappointment in his voice. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. We haven’t been able to locate him.”

Lou took a sip from her champagne. “I’d hoped he would stay. It’s not the same, without him,” she said.

“No, it isn’t.”

Lou smiled at a passing couple, who luckily seemed too nervous to approach her.

* * *

The night wore on, and guests began to leave. As a family began to leave out, a little girl in a green dress approached Lou.

“This is for you, Your Majesty,” she said with a gap-toothed smile.

“Oh, thank you, sweetie. Go on then, your parents are waiting for you,” she urged. The girl rushed off to her parents and Lou straightened up to properly look at what she’d been handed.

She unfolded a piece of cheap printer paper to reveal a child’s drawing in crayon. The tall blonde woman was clearly her, and there was the little girl in her green dress and dark curls. Oddly, a figure with short blonde hair was also included. It took her a long moment to realize it was meant to the Prompto.

But an even taller red-haired man in a heavy black coat was drawn, too. Scribbled in an adult’s hand was a simple note:

_ Founder’s Park, ten minutes. _

Lou dropped the drawing and slipped out of the hall without a backwards glance.

* * *

Nyx’s radio crackled in his ear and he nearly jumped at the sudden noise.

“ _ Ulric, that kid you wanted us to look out for -- Argentum? _ ” Libertus said through the radio. “ _ He just passed through security. He had an invitation to the gala, but talk about fashionably late. _ ” 

“Got it, thanks Libs.”

Nyx looked around for Lou to give her the good news, but he didn’t spot her in the thinning crowd.

“Where’s the Princess?” he asked. Crowe turned to him from her post.

“What?”

“Prompto showed, I thought Luna would want to know. I don’t see her.”

Crowe scanned the crowd and cursed. Nyx spotted Prince Noctis and Scientia trapped in conversation with an older noble. King Regis and Prince Ravus chatted with the king’s Shield. But the Chancellor was nowhere to be found.

“Tell His Majesty, I’ll search for her,” Nyx said. Crowe nodded and strode across the hall to where the king stood. Nyx ducked out the door.

* * *

Founder’s Park sat on the edge of the Citadel grounds. It was a public park at one end, opening out into the city proper, but fenced off with a security check at the other. The gate guards were lax and Lou slipped by, even still wearing her evening gown and heels.

Lou walked down the paved path towards the square where a statue of the Founder King stood. As she approached, the path behind her grew darker and darker until she could no longer see the gate. She came to the square and stopped.

“I’m here, Chancellor,” she called out. The lamps that lit the park flickered around her.

“Well, I did not expect you to actually come. And alone at that.”

The Chancellor melted from the shadows and stood before her. Lou stood her ground as he stalked towards her.

“Well? What have you done to Prompto?” Lou asked. 

The Chancellor reached out, his fingers brushed against her cheek and Lou slapped his hand away. He stepped back with a laugh. He circled her, and she turned to follow him. To keep him in her sight.

“You’ve learned what it is to be Oracle. You know your purpose to the Six. But have you learned of the first healer king? The truth to how House Caelum and House Fleuret came to their power? A history carefully hidden away from the public, so carefully hidden not even Prince Noctis is aware of it. Do you know of the Accursed? “

Lou backed away from him as he drew closer.

“The Accursed? The healer king who became so corrupted by the Scourge he became a monster. You? You’re him?”

“Very astute, my dear. These twelve years have been kind to you,” he said. Ardyn twirled a dagger between his fingers as he stalked ever closer. Lou couldn’t help but snort.

“If you call hiding in the Empire with no memory of who I was ‘kind’, then I dread to hear your definition of ‘cruel’.”

Ardyn smiled, “Perhaps you would prefer a demonstration.”

Ardyn was faster than Lou was expecting, and she barely managed to stay out of his reach. She backpedaled quickly, and teetered in her heels. He lunged for her again, and Lou dove out of the way of his dagger. He snarled at her in anger. 

Under the stress of her movements, one of her heels snapped and she lost her balance. Lou scrambled back as she kicked off her shoes. The skirt of her gown dragged across the ground, the fabric tearing, but there was no time to worry about it now.

“Do hold still for me,” he said. 

Lou reached out and called her trident to her hand. It appeared in a flash of golden light, and she held it at the ready. There hadn’t been a lot of time for detailed self-defence, but she at least knew which end to stab him with.

“If you must kill me, answer me this,” Lou demanded. “Why target us? Why kill my family and sack my homeland?”

“House Fleuret’s ruin is a means to an end. The Caelum’s destruction is far less troublesome with you out of the way. After all, forging covenants with the gods cannot be done without the Oracle’s hard work.”

Lou lunged with the trident, forcing Ardyn away from her. He stepped back, that infuriating grin still on his face. She knew that she could only hold him off for so long, and there was no telling how long it would take for someone to notice she was gone and figure out where she was.

“I needn’t to wipe you  _ all  _ out, either. So long as a woman of the blood lives, the darkness can be held at bay. But by killing you, I get what I want, and Ravus won’t be touched. Surely that matters to you? Embrace death, and your dear brother won’t be harmed.”

“I don’t think so.”

Lou shifted her grip, and held the trident in both hands pointed up at the sky. She called upon the magic she knew lay dormant within her. Lou was enveloped in a golden glow, and her hands shook with the effort of keeping the trident upright. The air around them grew colder, her quick breaths escaped her in puffs of steam. 

The ground iced over, and soon she was shivering outright. Shiva floated down from the sky.

“Well, well, the Glacean graces us with Her presence. What an honor,” Ardyn mocked with a shallow bow. He took a step forward but was halted by the ice on the ground.

Shiva took flight, spinning and twirling around Ardyn, building a blizzard to trap him in. He froze where he stood.

“This will not be enough to end the Accursed. Forever barred from Etro’s embrace, far greater power than alone we can muster,” Shiva said. 

Sure enough, Ardyn’s body began to crack and shift, even under the intense cold.

“How? How can he be killed?” Lou asked, leaning heavily against the trident. Summoning an Astral had been more exhausting than she’d anticipated. Ardyn lurched forward despite still being mostly frozen--

A gunshot cracked through the air and Lou jumped in surprise. Ardyn was struck in the head and he began to bleed ichor.

“Lou!”

Lou saw Prompto approaching, a gun in hand, still aiming at Ardyn. “Prompto?”

He was dressed in a pressed shirt and tie, though the tie was loosened, and he’d likely abandoned the jacket at some point. He approached her.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. What are you doing here?” Lou asked.

“I’d just arrived when Nyx noticed you were missing. The King and your brother are dealing with the guests while the rest of us went looking for you. They should be here soon.”

Ardyn had dropped his dagger, and despite the deep freeze attempting to trap him, he had drawn a full sword from a space of similar designs to the weapons Noctis and King Regis wielded.

“Do my eyes deceive me? Is that Besithia’s bastard boy? Ardyn sneered. “You caused quite a  _ ruckus, _ running off with the family heirlooms.” 

“Besithia is no father of mine,” Prompto snarled.

“No matter.. You and I have no quarrel, but killing you means nothing should you stand in my way” Ardyn advanced, the ice cracking as he forced his body forward. It fell from his body in shattered sheets. 

Prompto shot him again in the chest, but he barely flinched at the impact.

“He can’t die, Prompto. Shiva Herself cannot stop him,” Lou said. 

The pair backed up as Ardyn continued to advance on them. She blinked and Prompto was shoved to the ground. Ardyn raised his sword, poised to strike her down. Lou raised the trident to block Ardyn’s attack, but he hauled his leg up, his boot stomping her stomach and knocking the wind out of her.

She gasped for breath on the ground. Prompto’s gun went off and Ardyn staggered as the bullet lodged in his shoulder.

“Annoying pest of a boy!”

Shiva dove for him, wrapping Ardyn in her frigid embrace. His body once again began to freeze.

“Get down!” a familiar voice yelled. 

Lou ducked her head and a pair of lightning bolts sent Ardyn flying. He crashed to the ground.

“Lou!” Nyx carefully picked her up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m alright,” Lou said. “Prompto?”

“I’ll be fine,” Promoto insisted. He stood and shook himself off. They were joined by Crowe, as well as the prince and his entourage.

“What’s going on?” Noctis asked.

“The Chancellor of Niflheim is attempting to kill me,” Lou leaned against her trident. “But he’s immortal.”

“Immortal? Is that possible?” Ignis asked.

“I don’t know! I put a bullet in his head and chest and he barely  _ flinched _ ,” Prompto said. “Oh look,  _ he’s getting up now! _ ”

Sure enough, Ardyn was climbing to his feet. A hole in his shirt revealed the closed skin where Prompto shot him, and as they watched, the massive electrical burn on his chest healed away to leave nothing but unmarred skin.

“With the Ring of the Lucii, the Accursed may rest,” Shiva said.

“The Ring?” Noct reached into his pocket. “I think Dad slipped into my pocket.” In the palm of his hand sat the ring of his forefathers. Noct slipped it onto his finger, and the air fell still. Everything stopped for a long moment.

A massive sword dropped from the sky and landed in the path between them. Lou looked up to see bladed wings descending towards them. The earth shook as Bahamut landed, a second sword in hand.

“The Draconian? Deemed me worthy of coming out of your little hidey-hole, did you?” Ardyn asked.

“We done talking?” Nyx asked as he held his kukris at the ready. 

Bahamut raised his blade and struck. Had the situation not been so dire, the difference in size between Bahamut and Ardyn might have been funny. The two Astrals appeared to have things well in hand, and the others hesitated to jump in and get in the way. 

Then a deep rumbling voice echoed inside Lou’s head and made her double over in pain.

“Lou?” Prompto wrapped an arm around her. 

Bahamut’s voice shook her to her core, and Lou struggled to stand to her full height again. She used the trident to hold herself upright. To her left, Noctis was being supported by Ignis and Gladiolus. Lou and Noct glanced at each other and understood what they had to do. She gently shrugged off Prompto’s hands and stepped forward as Noctis did the same.

The two Astrals held Ardyn in place as they got closer. Noct reached out with the hand that bore the Ring and drew upon its power. Lou gripped the trident in both hands and reached for her magic. She recalled the words of healing she had been taught.

“Blessed stars of light and life, deliver us from darkness’ blight,” she chanted. The trident glowed with warm golden light. Noctis struck first, Ardyn was lifted into the air by the spell Noctis had cast, his body collapsing upon itself. Lou hefted the trident, she reared back and threw. The ancient weapon of her line sailed through the air and struck Ardyn in the chest.

The scream he released was horrible. An amalgam of every soul he’d ever stolen with the scourge, it echoed across the park and through the city. It rattled Lou’s ears, goosebumps travelling up her arms. He bled ichor as the healing light of the Oracle coursed through his veins, destroying the scourge in its wake. He threw his head back as light flowed from his eyes and mouth in a decidedly unnerving way.

Then Ardyn slumped, and the magic holding him in place collapsed and he landed on the ground with a gross wet thump. Lou grimaced and looked away as it rotted before their eyes. His flesh melted away to leave bone, and then the bones collapsing into dust carried away by the wind.

Lou finally let her shaking legs collapse, and she sat there on the cracked cobblestones. Noct stumbled beside her and braced his hands on his knees to stay upright.

“He’s…gone,” she whispered. Her shoulders sagged and exhaustion settled deep in her bones.

“Lou!” Nyx and Prompto fell to their knees on either side of her as they hugged her. Lou held them close.

“Lady Lunafreya.”

Lou looked up as Shiva approached. The trio stood, though Nyx and Prompto supported her weight.

“The Accursed has been defeated, and his blight upon this star has been healed. For this, the Astrals thank the Last Oracle and the Chosen King,” Shiva said. Lou and Noctis bowed to the two Astrals.

“This was not in Providence, though the blight is now gone. This star will be safe from the darkness. The role of the Oracle Healer we will need no longer. Your destinies are now in your hands.”

The two Astrals disappeared from view. Lou let herself sag against Nyx.

“Take me back to my room, please, I don’t think I can walk,” she said. Nyx swept her up into his arms with ease. Lou grinned and looped her arms around his neck. Prompto grabbed the trident and followed them.

“Come on, Noct,” Gladio said as he threw one of Noct’s arms over his shoulders to support him.

Together, the rag tag group returned to the Citadel.

* * *

Ravus was waiting and pacing nervously.

“Lunafreya! Are you alright?” he asked.

“I’m fine, brother,” Lou said. “But I’d like to let you know, I’m abdicating the throne to you.”

“What?”

“The Six have declared that my destiny is in my hands now. And I don’t think I want to be a queen. I want a simple life,” Lou said. “Put me down for a moment, Nyx.”

Nyx carefully put her down, though kept an arm around her waist to support her.

“I want to be with Nyx and Prompto, and we all know that the trappings of royalty would not allow me that,” she said.

“Even though Argentum has been rather absent from your side for the last several weeks?” Ravus protested.

“Yes, despite that. And we will be having a long discussion about that later,” Lou said. She gave Prompto a glare and nodded in satisfaction when Nyx helpfully gripped Prompto by the shoulder to prevent his running away.

Prompto at least had the sense to look abashed by Lou’s admonishment.

“Abdication is a serious decision. It cannot be made quickly or rashly,” Ravus said. Lou paused.

“Fine, I will think about it for the night. You will have my answer come morning. Good night, brother.”

Lou managed to imperiously sweep past her brother and make for the elevator.

“Nyx, Prompto, you may join me in my rooms,” she said. They hopped into the elevator with her. “Prince Noctis, could you report what happened to the King? And my apologies for not seeing him directly?”

“Sure, no problem. Have a good night, Luna,” Noctis said with a smile. The sight of the two princes, one clad in black and looking tired but happy, while the other dressed in silver and white while quietly fuming was far funnier than it should have been.

The elevator doors shut and Lou let herself sag.

“Being royalty is exhausting, I definitely don’t want to do it for the rest of my life,” Lou said. Nyx chuckled.

“So what’s the plan now?” Prompto asked.

“First. We’re going to get some sleep, and both of you are joining me. In the morning, we’ll figure it out.”

“Sounds good to me. It’s been a really long day,” Nyx said.

The elevator let them out on Lou’s floor and she ushered them into her rooms. Lou shut and locked the door.

“Alright, help me out of this dress. It was so nice, too,” she lamented. Nyx and Prompto hesitated and glanced at each other. “What? Don’t be shy now.”

Nyx gave in first and reached for the zipper in the back and tugged it down. His fingers grazed the smooth skin of her back and Lou shivered at his touch. The gown fell to the floor and Lou stepped out of it, leaving on nothing more than her underwear. Prompto was blushing.

“Lou, you’re hurt,” Nyx said. She was covered in bruises and scrapes.

“There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom, but I do need to at least rinse the dirt off of me,” she said. “You two can make yourselves comfortable.”

Lou disappeared into the bathroom and stripped off the last of her clothing and stepped into the barely warm shower. She carefully scrubbed the dirt from her body, being mindful of all of the scrapes and scratches. She scrubbed her smudged makeup off and sighed.

When she exited the bathroom in nothing more than a towel with the first aid kit in hand, Nyx and Prompto had simply stripped down to their boxers and were awkwardly sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Will you help me?” she asked. They both nodded. Lou handed over the kit and dropped the towel. 

This was the first time they were seeing her bare, but their priority was her health, so they carefully cleaned her wounds and bandaged the ones that needed it. A numbing balm was rubbed onto her stomach where Ardyn’s boot had struck her.

When they were done, Lou dressed in a sleep tunic she preferred and crawled into bed. She beckoned them to join her. They laid on either side of her, arms wrapping around her and holding each other close.

“Oh, Prompto?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t think we won’t talk about why you decided to run off on us,” Lou said.

“Yeah, that was a dick move, Prom,” Nyx said.

“I’m sorry, guys,” Prompto said.

“You’d better be,” Lou said. She rolled over to face him and pulled him in for a lingering kiss. His lips were dry and a little chapped, but she didn’t care. She hadn’t had an opportunity to do this in a few weeks, and she’d missed it. She pulled away and looked at him. “Don’t do that again.”

“I won’t,” he whispered, “I promise.”

Lou nodded in satisfaction and buried her face against his neck, ready to sleep. The bed was soft, and she was warm and safe, bracketed by the two people she loved most in the world, and that was all that mattered to her.


	10. Epilogue

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Ravus asked. Lou stood before him, dressed once more in jeans and a t-shirt. 

“Absolutely. I came to Insomnia to find the truth of who I was, and hopefully, my family,” she said. “But I found a family on the way here. I’m happy.” 

“I know I cannot stop you,” Ravus sighed. “But please, know you will always have a place in court. You are abdicating the throne of Tenebrae, but you’re still a daughter of House Fleuret.”

“We may take you up on that, once Fenestala Manor is restored. It was in quite a state when we were there. I know this isn’t what you wanted, Ravus, but I hope you will be able to be happy as well,” Lou said.

He only nodded. Lou held out her arms to him.

“Give me one last hug before we head out?” she said. Ravus reached out and embraced her. Lou relished it for as long as she could. They separated and she stepped away.

“Where are you going?”

“We want to see the rest of Lucis first. Prompto is fond of chocobos, and there’s a ranch in eastern Duscae. And I want a better look at Longwythe Peak. Nyx wants us to see Galahd, but we haven’t decided on where we will settle yet. I’ll be in touch!”

Lou picked up her pack, stuffed with new clothes for travelling, and left Ravus’ office. 

Nyx and Prompto were waiting for her. Prompto had his own pack, while Nyx had already packed everything he’d need in a truck gifted to them by the King. Noctis was leaning against the doors leading out to the front steps of the Citadel.

“You’re all set to go?” he asked.

“Yeah, we’re all ready,” Lou said. She reached out and grabbed her Nyx and Prompto each by the hand. “Ready to see what the rest of this continent has to offer.”

“Safe travels, Luna. You two take care of her, you hear?” Noctis said, glancing between Nyx and Prompto.

“Hey, we’ve been doing that just fine so far,” Prompto protested. Noctis only grinned.

“Yeah, I’m only messing with you. I bet you’ll be chasing after Luna as soon as you’re out there.”

“I’m sure we can keep up with her,” Nyx said. Lou elbowed them both.

“We’ll come by and visit sometime,” she said.

“You’d better.”

Lou hugged him. “It was good to see you again.”

“Yeah, you too.”

“Make sure we get an invitation to your wedding and coronation, whenever those happen,” Lou said.

“No promises,” Noctis teased. “Now get going, the open road isn’t going to wait forever.”

Lou smiled and they walked down the steps to the truck. The last of their belongings were stored in the bed, and they climbed into the cab. Nyx was driving and Lou eagerly unfolded the map of Lucis they’d been given.

“So where to first?” he asked as he started the engine.

“Let’s go to Galahd first. I want to see your ancestral home,” Lou said. Prompto nodded eagerly.

“Okay, northeast it is,” Nyx said. He shifted gears and they were off, through the gates and into the rest of the city, the rest of their journey, and their lives, before them.


End file.
